Caring For Others: Mark 5:41-43
When done correctly, hospitality is a beautiful thing to see. Hospitality is all about servant leadership. Hospitality begins with thinking of the needs of other people before your own needs. Hospitality inherently puts us in a posture of receptivity, listening, and concern. One of the quickest ways to put a smile onto the face of another person is to treat them to an unexpected moment of hospitality.
After escorting the mourners outside, Jesus heals the young girl. I love the relative ease with which Jesus performs the act. There is no struggle here. There is no fight for life. Jesus simply looks at her and says, “Rise up.” She does. End of story. Jesus’ command over death is effortless.
It is here the story about hospitality begins. The girl was sick for some time before dying, so it is fair to say her body was already in a weakened condition. I’ve never died, but I cannot believe that it is a tremendously easy process on the body. Jesus makes her path back to full health as easy as possible. One minute the girl is sick, weak, and fighting for life. The next minute – after dying – she is up and walking around as if nothing ever happened.
It doesn’t stop there, though. Jesus tells the people around her, who are filled with amazement, to get her some refreshment. Everyone is amazed at what happened and not paying attention to the girl, who has just gone through the biggest ordeal of her lifetime. Jesus knows her physical needs and through His compassion makes sure the people meet those needs.
The hospitality doesn’t stop with the young girl, though. Look at Jairus. Remember that Jairus is a leader of the synagogue. There is already trouble between Jesus and the religious leaders. If Jairus - or those who were still in the room - went around proclaiming what happened, it could easily put Jairus at odds with the rest of the religious community. However, because Jesus told the crowds that the girl was just asleep, He casts a shadow of doubt about whether the girl died or not. By instructing Jairus to say nothing, Jesus trades His own fame for Jairus’ ability to stay out of conflict with the religious community.
In a way, Jesus is being hospitable to His disciples as well. If the story of the girl’s healing gets out to quickly, then conflict with the religious leaders would escalate before Jesus is ready. His disciples still need time to grow. They still need experience. They still have lessons to learn. By telling the people to be quiet about what happened, Jesus gives His disciples the space they need to be discipled.
I am amazed at how many lives Jesus touches through this incredible act. I am also amazed at how effortless it seems for Him to impact so many people. When done correctly, hospitality is such a beautiful thing to see.
