Roof Digging Friends. Luke 5:17-20 Moreover, the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. 19 When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. In this story, we hear about a man who is paralyzed and on a mat. Word had recently spread about Jesus and his ability to heal. We do not know much about the man or the specifics of his life as paraplegia. We do know, however, that he has true friends. Not good friends but, indeed, great friends. We know this because, in all likelihood, the roof through which they lowered the paralyzed man was made of mud and straw. We do not hear about tools the friends used to dig this massive hole so we must assume that they dug by hand. They embarked on this challenging roof digging endeavor so that Jesus could heal their friend. We all need friends like that. Friends who go the extra mile to show kindness or a helping hand. A friend who will drive in the middle of the night to meet you at the hospital or a friend who will take your call no matter what show they are watching. The sort of friend who will change plans just because you need some help. Friends - true friends - who dig a hole in a roof so that your life can potentially be forever changed. I believe, however, that it is not merely that we need friends like that in our own lives, but that we, too, are called to be that friend. Who are your people, your tribe, your friends that you know would dig a hole through the roof for you? Do you strive to be that sort of friend in return? Maybe it is God’s plan that we be the sort of friend who stands up for what is right, be the sort of friend who is there in a time of need, be the sort of friend who listens and offers encouraging words. Be the sort of friend who is willing to dig a hole through the roof. When this sort of kindness is shown it is contagious. Why not start a friendship revolution and show the world what it looks like to be a true friend? Be a Saint of a friend.