In high school, I loved hearing the juicy details of someone else’s life. As I’ve gotten older, and the stories get more complicated, I no longer relish having the inside scoop. As a helper, there are times when I long to carry the message to someone that I believe could make a difference. But, as much as I want to help, I have learned it is best not violate the privacy of a friend. Especially when it’s not my story to tell.
Life in a small country means that more often than not, its easy to connect the dots when a story is told. Hidden identities come to light very quickly. This happened in Jesus’ day as well.
Now a man was sick —Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent a message to him: “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:1-4 CSB
We are told that Lazarus’ sisters sent a message to Jesus. I wonder who carried the sisters’ words to Jesus? “Lord, the one you love is sick.” Hearing the news Jesus immediately knows four things;
- Exactly who the message is about,
- Who sent it,
- What the final result will be,
- And why it must happen.
Jesus Waited
Scripture tells us Jesus traveled less than two miles to reach His friends. (v18) Yet, by the time He arrived in the village, His loved one had already been in the tomb for four days. Jesus didn’t rush in to save Mary and Martha from heartache. He allowed the pain of grief and loss to fill their hearts. He could have sent healing for Lazarus. But He didn’t.
When it’s not my story to tell
As I type this my heart hurts for a loved one. I want to contact every prayer warrior I know and pass on all the information I’ve received. But, tonight, all I can do is lay the information at Jesus’ feet and wait. And allow Him to take care of my precious friend in His time.