“Son, your sins are forgiven.” That’s what Christ said to the lame man lowered through the roof—the man who had never walked. I’ve always wondered why Jesus began with those words. The Pharisees questioned it too, but for different reasons; they wanted to know why He thought He had the authority to forgive sins. But I understand why: Jesus is the Son of God and He, as He later says in Mark, has the authority to forgive sins here on Earth. My reasons for wondering were different. Let me explain.
The lame man’s most obvious problem was his inability to walk. Anyone passing by would have said his issue was being lame. It was a clear, physical limitation. Yet, when faced with this need, Jesus first said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Did he look like a terrible sinner? How much trouble could he have gotten into without the ability to walk? But what made him a sinner is the same thing that makes us all sinners. Humanity is under the curse of Adam, separated from God. As scripture says, “Since by man came death, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” Adam’s sin brought the curse upon us all. Humanity was corrupted, and though we don’t die immediately, sin—separation from God—creates a condition for eternal death. So when Christ looked at the lame man, He saw the man’s greatest need. It wasn’t the need to walk.
God doesn’t see things the way we do. The man’s friends didn’t bring him to Jesus for forgiveness; they brought him because they wanted him to walk again. Even they didn’t see his greatest need. But Jesus did. His greatest need was salvation, forgiveness, reconciliation with God. Walking was just an added blessing. Of course, Jesus told him to take up his mat and walk, but only after addressing his deepest need.
This made me think about what our greatest need really is. When I look at those around me, do I see them as Christ did? Am I only noticing the obvious needs—the need for healing, provision, shelter, or whatever limitation is visible? Or am I seeing their soul, in need of forgiveness and salvation?
If Christ had restored only the man’s ability to walk and not his soul, it would have been a temporary fix. Our bodies aren’t eternal. Instead, Christ restored his soul, doing an eternal work. Temporary healing addresses the body, but eternal healing—the restoration of the soul—is what lasts forever. Next time we pray for the needs of those around us, maybe we should remember their greatest need.
It’s something worth thinking about. Some people need to hear that their sins are forgiven, that they are loved, and not defined by their past. Others need to be reminded that there’s grace for them and in Christ, all things are made new. No matter the outward challenges or physical struggles, this is their greatest need.
I’m not saying God doesn’t care about our physical struggles—He absolutely does. But He didn’t come to save our bodies; He came to save our souls. By His stripes, we’re healed spiritually, emotionally, and physically. We need to remember that our greatest need isn’t something we can see or fully grasp materially. We’re sojourners, seeking restoration of heart and soul—something not easily visible from the outside. Maybe people notice something different, but it’s hard to define. That day, Christ saw the lame man’s true need and met it first. Praise God, He still does the same for you and me. Maybe it’s time we see others as He does, pray for their greatest need, love and serve to meet it, and live in gratitude that Christ has met ours when we belong to Him.
