Jairus' daughter

Much of our story this week has been about the characters around the little girl who was resurrected. We can learn from them, and from her.

Two weeks ago, we looked at the faith of the woman with an issue of blood. She had enough faith to overcome obstacles and reach her objective (Jesus) and then to touch Him to be healed. Perhaps hers was a more mature faith in Him.
This week we have looked at people whose faith is brand new; theirs is child-like, newly minted faith in Christ. Jairus found Jesus and asked (pleaded, really) Him to come to his house; please heal my daughter was his request. Part of the way there, he is told that she has died, and his fledgling faith is rocked.
Jesus comforts him, though, with support that only He can give. "Fear not. Only believe, and she will be healed." So Jairus stumbles on with his new faith, supported by Jesus' words.

Jesus taught that we didn't need huge amounts of faith. That we could be useful for Him with just a little:

He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. (Luke 17:6)

Even strong faith can buckle sometimes. Even prayer warriors and mature Christians can feel their faith is challenged. But Jesus is willing to support us, too, as He did Jairus. He wants us to be trained, and for our faith to mature, but along the way He will carry us if we need it. (Kind of like that poem that says where you see one set of footprints, it's not because we were alone, but because He carried us.)
Remember when Jesus came down what we refer to as the Mount of Transfiguration? He meets his disciples who are trying to cast a demon out of a boy, and they are failing. Look at what the boy's father says:

"It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:22-24)

The first thing the father says is "if you can." That doesn't imply a towering amount of faith. But Jesus says that if he has even a little faith, He can help him. That everything is possible for one who believes. Huge, fortress-like, faith? Nope. Just common, everybody kind of faith that can be supported by Jesus. He is willing to prop us up if we won't give up on Him. Just as He supported and propped up Jairus' new faith, and that boy's father, too, He will support and prop us up if our knees have buckled, but we look to Him with the little bit of faith we have.

Many of us may be the ones that Jesus can use to encourage and support the faith of others. Did you carrying your little ones on your shoulders sometimes when they were very small? The reason they love to do that, is because they can see the world then as we see it. As tall people, adults see it. Not as little people see it, looking up at their parents and grandparents. We can offer this to young Christians, too. We don't want to make them dependent on us, but we can give them a glimpse of the Jesus that we know, and for a little while, they can see Him through our eyes. They'll remember what they have seen, and they will have new hope in the Lord. They'll also have a new inspiration to learn about Him and know Him better.

I think that Jairus, his wife, and his daughter must have never forgotten the pain and sorrow that they lived through, but that it paled by comparison to the joy that they felt after that. I believe that they would have been lights of gratitude in the darkness of the unbelief that surrounded them, and that many would have been moved to believe in Christ because of their testimonies.

Oh, that we would examine our lives and realize that our spiritual resurrection gives us the opportunity to do the same!

...rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:7)

 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)