The Four Friends

I read of a man that had four friends

He was truly blessed,

The man was sick and lay on his bed

For a while this was his test.

How he longed to be made whole

But no cure was forthcoming,

His friends heard of a certain man

That was in his village preaching.

These four friends I shall name

Only as someone once suggested,

The source I read did not so do

But my attention they surely arrested.

The first of the names was Sympathy

He noticed his friend’s condition,

He longed to do something for him

And he was moved by his compassion.

He got together with another friend

Whose name was Cooperation,

The two of them were really bent

On relieving their friend’s condition.

The third friend got in the mix

His name was Originality,

He set about thinking of a way

To rid his friend of his malady.

Sympathy heard of an opportunity

And Cooperation was quick to assist,

Originality came up with a plan

But they three lack the drive to persist.

That’s when Persistence got involved

He said, “Friends we cannot give up.

None of us would be happy like this,”

As together on their friend they looked.

Their friend was unable to walk

But he certainly had to be moved,

So they all looked at Originality

And he went into his thinking groove.

  

“Each one at a corner,” he suggested

Cooperation was quick to agree,

Sympathy and Persistence followed suit

And they moved with alacrity.

Picture them waking through the village

With their lame friend on his bed,

No doubt some had stopped to stare

These four must be out of their heads.

Problem number one was solved

But up came problem number two,

Up ahead at their destination

A large crowd came into view.

Sympathy looked at their friend dejected  

Cooperation said, “Let’s get him there.”

Originality replied, “I have a plan.”

Persistence insisted, “Let’s not stop here.”

So on they went, this confident four

Intending to force their way through

But the one they sought could not be reached

Still something more they must do.

Persistence said, “We must find a way.”

Sympathy said, “That’s for sure.”

“Let’s make some rope with his bed sheets

And through the roof we’ll have lowered.”

You don’t have to guess this was Originality

Cooperation quickly got on board,

Sympathy and Persistence did their bit

And together they had him lowered.

Up to the roof the four did climb

Bearing the weight of the crippled man

Removing tiles from the roof of the house

They executed Originality’s plan

The rest is history, I’m sure you know

That this paralytic man was healed,

I am sure too you are also aware

Of the tongue lashing the healer received.

Before he was healed his sins were forgiven

And this left the Scribes aghast

But Jesus showed that he had such power

And left his physical healing for the last.

“Arise, take up your bed and walk.”

This he said to the crippled man,

Both body and soul of the man were healed

The culmination of a well executed plan.

This is the message of the Gospel

That we tell our loved ones about Christ

And that we persist even further afield

And witness of his sacrifice.

It will definitely require much Sympathy

Cooperation and Originality too

And more than a bit of Persistence

To ensure we get this message through.

These four combined in a display of faith

That all believers should emulate,

The one in whom no trust is misplaced

And to whom we can personally relate.

Jesus is that one of course

And he sits at the Father’s right hand,

And there he intercedes on our behalf

And shepherds us like no other can.

Stewart Russell © July 2018