I hope you’re encouraged by this blog from guest author, Alan Howell.

—Dan

I was in a discussion recently where my friend, Ethan, mentioned how people sometimes experience the “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) but that at other times we have a “Fear of Messing Up” (FOMU).  FOMO and FOMU can both be paralyzing. They have the power to warp human relationships.  And unfortunately, both types of fear can keep us from partnering with God to participate in the healing of the world. 

One of the most touching and powerful stories in the Gospels is when four friends bring a man who was unable to walk to Jesus to be healed (Mark 2:1-12).  They carry him on a mat to where Jesus is teaching and find out that the house he is in is full.  There’s no way in through the door or even a window, so they go up on the roof and make a DIY skylight to lower their friend down to Jesus.  Now, Mark’s Gospel focuses on the conversation that happens at the ground level.  Jesus sees their faith and starts by forgiving this man’s sins.  That statement was scandalous to the religious leaders and may have been surprising to the paralyzed man, too.  Jesus then proves his ability to forgive by healing the man, enabling him to get up and walk out of the house.  While our camera lens in this story is appropriately focused on what is happening down below, I want us to let the shot linger a bit at the four friends staring down through the hole in the roof.

These friends were willing to do whatever it took to bring this man to Jesus.  They didn’t let the fear of missing out (FOMO) keep them from taking the time to help their friend.  They cared more about him missing out on meeting Jesus than what they themselves might have been missing.  Otherwise, they could have selfishly rushed ahead, going alone to meet the Messiah.  Why were they so determined to make sure their friend had an audience with Christ that day?  Maybe it was because Jesus’ last trip to Capernaum was cut short.  Jesus had suddenly left town before dawn (1:35), leaving people waiting to be healed.  These friends will not take this opportunity for granted.  This was a time for action.  They were not going to let their friend miss out on meeting Jesus.  Their faith that his words had both the power to heal and to forgive, to create and reanimate, led them to act on his behalf. 

They also didn’t let the fear of messing up (FOMU) get in their way of getting this man to Jesus.  With the building busting at the seams, they boldly rip a hole in the roof so that their friend will become both holy and whole.  Here’s something else that N.T. Wright observes about the scene, “Most people don’t realize that this was probably Jesus’ own house.  He had moved to Capernaum from Nazareth; the point of the first two verses is that when Jesus returned from his short preaching trip around the neighboring villages, he found crowds pressing around the door as though he were a movie star or well-known footballer. Jesus himself was the unlucky householder who had his roof ruined that day. This opens up quite a new possibility for understanding what Jesus said to the paralyzed man. How would you feel if someone made a big hole in your roof? But Jesus looks down and says, with a rueful smile: ‘All right - I forgive you!’ Something in his voice, though, made them all realize this was different. This forgiveness went deeper than mere domestic disputes, Jesus was speaking with a quiet authority which went down into the paralyzed man's innermost being” (2004, 16-17).  They are bold enough to even break into Jesus’ house to make sure their friend will find forgiveness and healing.

Missions is a team sport.  It’s not about one person being redeemed or even one person going to connect others with Christ.  It takes collective action, boldness, and even a willingness to break into Jesus’ house. These four friends are a picture of what healthy churches look and act like. They are creative, decisive, willing to make a mess, and willing to risk on behalf of others.  They won’t let FOMO or FOMU get in their way.  They will do whatever it takes to get people the healing and forgiveness that Jesus has to offer.  And their perch from a partially torn roof, from where they have boldly broken into Jesus’ house, gives them a great front row, a prime balcony seat to the amazing things God is doing today among marginalized people.  As I picture this little church of four where they sit, legs dangling down, wiping the sweat from their brow, smiling and laughing with each other, celebrating the healing of their friend, it makes me think of a similar scene in the heavenlies where an even bigger celebration is taking place.  Our God did a similar move in breaking through the “ceiling,” bypassing barriers to come down and be among us.  It is a beautiful thing when we, as the church, get to follow that example with boldness and creativity.

May we never let fear (of any kind) keep us from going to the next level in our quest to follow the mission of God!