Jairus is a leader at the local synagogue. A teacher of the Jewish faith. He spends his days with the leaders who are skeptical (at best) about the wandering teacher disrupting the way things have been done for centuries. He is a well respected man, of high rank in his society.
But that's not how we're introduced to him. We're introduced to Jairus the dad. Jairus the desperate. Jarius the hopeful.
Jairus is at his wit's end. His baby is sick. No one knows how to help her. As a leader of the synagogue, he's not a poor man. Doubtless he's had doctors examine his daughter. Surely, he had his co-workers (fellow priests) pray for her. He and her mommy have probably spent many a worried night watching her struggle in agony. Nothing is helping.
He loves his daughter. He can't stand to see her suffer.
So he decides to try something truly desperate. He summons all his courage. Though it will seem insane to his peers - his social circle - his whole society, he goes to see that heretic proclaiming himself to be the son of God. The supposed healer. He bows his head, and asks this disrupter of the norm to come to his home and examine his daughter. To see if there isn't anything that can be done for her.
Not out of faith. Out of desperation.
Yet, it seems he waited too long. While he is persuading the healer to come to his home, his daughter dies. His servants come to tell him the heart-breaking news.
His knees probably go weak. His heart surley falters.
The disrupter sees this and reaches out to Jairus, who is no longer able to reach out. Jesus challenges Jairus to hold on to hope just a little bit longer. To trust his instincts. To continue down the path of faith, even when it seems the situation is impossible.
Jairus does. He takes Jesus to his home, introduces Him to his grieving wife. Together they go to see his lovely daughter. Still. Pale. Quiet.
Jairus, mostly shattered. Desperate. Grasping for straws. Grieving. Takes a stranger to his home, to see his treasured daughter.
And Jesus take her hand. Speaks to her. Tells her to rise. And she does! Suddenly Jairus' world is changed. Talitha, his daughter, is walking. She is smiling. She is hungry. She is well!
Her daddy had been willing to take a chance for her. He loved her more than his pride, his social standing, the respect of his community. He was willing to sacrifice whatever it took for his daughter to have a hope and a future.
Happy Father's Day to all the dads who take the risk and go the extra mile for their kids. Literally and figuratively. Thank you for modeling God's love for us. Whether you mean to or not.
