Which is Easier?
READ
The house was packed beyond capacity. Word had spread that Jesus was teaching, and people crammed into every available space, spilling out the doorways and windows. But four friends had a problem - their paralyzed friend needed to get to Jesus, and there was no way through the crowd. So they did what desperate love does: they got creative.
Let’s take a moment to read Mark 2:1-12:
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
REFLECT
Picture the scene: these men carrying their friend up to the roof, tearing off tiles, lowering him down on ropes while dirt and debris showered the crowd below. The religious leaders probably thought this was disrespectful chaos. But when Jesus looked up and saw that man coming through the ceiling, he didn't see disruption - he saw faith in action.
What strikes me most about Jesus's character here is what he addressed first. Everyone expected healing for the man's legs, but Jesus said, "Son, your sins are forgiven." He saw beyond the obvious physical need to the deeper spiritual wound. This wasn't just about mobility - it was about wholeness, identity, and belonging in community.
The religious experts were scandalized. "Who does he think he is? Only God can forgive sins!" They were right about that last part, which was exactly Jesus's point. By forgiving sins, he was claiming divine authority. But rather than argue theology, Jesus demonstrated his authority through compassion. "Which is easier - to say 'your sins are forgiven' or 'get up and walk'?" Then he healed the man's legs to prove he had the authority to heal his soul.
This story reveals so much about Jesus's heart. He cares about our whole person - not just our spiritual needs or just our physical struggles, but the complete picture of who we are. He sees how our pain affects every area of our lives, and his restoration touches all of it.
Notice too how Jesus honored the friends' faith. Their determination to get their loved one to Jesus moved his heart. Sometimes we carry people to Jesus through prayer when they can't get there themselves. Sometimes others carry us when our faith feels weak. The body of Christ works together to bring healing and hope.
The man who had been carried in as a burden walked out carrying his own mat. That's the power of encountering Jesus - what once weighed you down becomes a testimony of God's grace. The crowd was amazed, saying they'd never seen anything like it. When Jesus brings restoration, it's always beyond what we could imagine or accomplish on our own.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
What areas of your life need both forgiveness and healing - not just one or the other?
Who in your life might need you to be one of the "four friends" carrying them to Jesus through prayer or practical support?
How has Jesus's restoration in your life turned former burdens into testimonies of his grace?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Jesus, thank you for seeing all of me - not just the obvious problems but the deeper needs I sometimes don't even recognize. Help me bring my whole self to you for healing and restoration. Give me the faith and creativity of those four friends to bring others to you when they can't get there alone. Turn my former struggles into testimonies of your amazing grace. Amen.