Every man needs a few 2:00 AM friends, the guys who will pick up the phone when everything is falling apart and show up no matter when you call. Men who won’t just pray about you, but will pray over you. Men who will fight for you, stand with you, drag you when you can’t walk, and tear through a roof if that’s what it takes to get you to Jesus.
Tear through a roof? Yes. Scripture shows us exactly what men like this look like.
The Scene in Mark 2
Mark 2 tells the story of a paralyzed man who had four friends convinced that if they could get him to Jesus, everything could change. Mark begins the account like this:
“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.”
—Mark 2:1–2
The house was packed with no open doors and no available space; it was standing-room-only. There was no easy path to Jesus, which becomes central to the story:
“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”
—Mark 2:3–5
“Your sins are forgiven.” An unbelievable moment, for sure, but the story doesn’t end there. Some teachers in the crowd silently accused Jesus of blasphemy, questioning who He thought He was. Jesus responds:
“‘Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all.”
—Mark 2:8–12
With that, the man experiences complete restoration. Jesus forgave and healed, but it was the faith and persistence of four brothers that got him to the One who could do both. They climbed a roof, tore a hole through it, and lowered their friend straight into the presence of Jesus.
It’s one of my favorite stories in the Bible.
As a man who has been blessed with brothers like this, here are three things I know…
Some Days You’re the Man on the Mat
Some days you can’t walk on your own. Temptation knocks you flat. Anxiety paralyzes you. Sin and shame weigh more than you can carry. God never intended for you to handle those days alone. You were meant to have brothers who will pick you up, put you on the mat, and carry you to Jesus when you don’t have the strength.
Some Days You’re One of the Four Friends
There will be seasons when another man needs your strength, your faith, and your courage.
Galatians 6:2 says it plainly: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” The four friends in Mark 2 showed up, climbed, dug, and fought for their brother’s healing and salvation. Jesus honored their faith. Brotherhood isn’t sentimental; it’s sacrificial. It costs energy, time, and emotional bandwidth – and it’s worth every bit of it.
Some Days You Need to Refuse to Give Up
The crowd blocking the doorway would have stopped most men. It was too hard, too crowded, and there was too much resistance. We might say, “Maybe another day…” Not these four. The paralysed man’s friends chose persistence, grit, and spiritual stubbornness. Their mindset was simple: as long as Jesus was there, turning back was not an option. We need brothers who help us think like that when our own hope wears thin, the kind that won’t take “no” for an answer.
Today, Ask Yourself:
- Am I willing to be the man on the mat? Am I humble enough to let brothers carry me when I’m hurting?
- Am I willing to be one of the four friends? Am I committed enough to carry another man to Jesus, even when it costs me?
This example of the four friends is what Christian brotherhood looks like. It’s how men grow, how faith deepens, and how healing happens.
Every man needs a rooftop-tearing brotherhood. Find your four, be someone’s four, and bring each other to Jesus.
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Written by John Gamades, author of WAR: A Tactical Guide for Christian Men and Conquer: Daily Devotions for the Christian Man