Sunday, March 20, 2011

Maybe He Just Has Autism

If you were to meet my son, Jason, you might walk away with an impression of him as being “all boy” or “talkative” and almost certainly, “busy“. But it‘s doubtful that you’d describe him as “intense”, “complicated” or “restless”. No, you’d have to spend a lot more time with him to begin to entertain those thoughts.

None the less, for more than three years now, I’ve watched this child of mine, struggle with an issue, and suffering many things from many physicians and other “professionals“. I have spent all that I have and yet, he is no better but rather, in some ways, worse. Why then do I continue to devote all of my resources and efforts on his issue. The answer is simple. His struggle is my struggle. His suffering is my suffering. His issue is my issue.

This last week was quite difficult, but no different than most, in regards to our issue. Inconclusive (expensive) medical test results, negligent care providers carelessly endangering my son‘s safety, self-absorbed administrator’s covering truth, condescending (unsolicited) self-appointed advisors, unreliable and unfunded resources, lack of service from insurance CSR‘s, unsympathetic creditors and overwhelming frustration for a problem solver like me - a results oriented person like me.

The issue… insurmountable Autism.

Autism. An issue that begets more issues that begets struggles that begets suffering that begets hard, tedious, expensive, time consuming, isolating work. It also seems to beget an otherwise nice person making a stupid comments to me like, “Maybe he just has autism.”.



“Maybe he just has autism.”

Comments similar to this are frequent. If people don’t say them…they think them. Strangers, co-workers, neighbor’s, friends and without fail, family members. My response always depends on my frustration level and my discernment of their intention.

This one, however, was different. This one is the worst of it‘s kind. This is the spirit killer comment. This is the one that causes you to lie awake all night wondering if you are making an issue about your issue! This is the one that makes you question everything about yourself. This one makes you wonder, “Maybe I just need to accept that….maybe he just has autism.”.

Maybe. Maybe not.

You see, that‘s what ‘they‘ all think! “Maybe he just has autism.”. And then, ‘they’ do what ‘they’ do best…nothing. That’s how the mindless think. That’s how the unbelievers think. That’s how the defeated think.

I’m different. I’m his mom. I’m intentional. I’m a believer. I’m desperate. I am not defeated. I am not mindless.

That is why it’s not just Jason’s issue. It’s my issue too. If I didn’t carry his issue with him and for him, he would just be left alone with his issue.

Check out Mark 5:21-43.

Jesus traveling by boat heads to the shore, where a crowd has gathered to see him. He gets out of the boat and they surround him.

I imagine a rock concert, or better yet, a tin can of sardines. People are there from all over…gathering, pushing, shoving to get as close to Jesus as possible. I can hear them calling out his name, as they elbow their neighbor, just to get a better look. I picture his apostles acting as His bodyguards, desperately trying to protect the Lord from the crowd. This crowd, building in excitement…in meeting someone…famous.

They’d obviously heard rumors and stories about this Jesus…healing the sick, feeding the poor, standing up to oppressors and performing miracle after miracle, where ever He went. And now, here he is…on their shore. They’re all debating with each other their beliefs, their opinions, their ideas of who He really is. “Maybe he’s just a teacher.”. “Maybe he’s just a prophet.”. “Maybe he’s just demon possessed.”. “Maybe he’s just crazy.”. Who would think…“Surely, He’s God!”.

Among that curious throng of people, is a father who breaks through the crowd and when he finally reaches Jesus, he falls to his feet (in worship), begging Him earnestly (intentionally), asking for Him to come lay hands on his dying daughter.

This father was desperate. This father was intentional. This father believed in Jesus‘ ability to save his baby girl. Otherwise, why would he have wasted precious time trying. This father was different than the majority in the crowd. He believed in Jesus’ ability to save his daughter.

When Jesus saw and heard this father, what did He do? I’ll tell you what he didn’t do first. He didn’t ignore this father, among all the other‘s who were surely screaming their requests. He didn’t look at this father and roll His eyes while letting out a big sigh. He didn’t give the father advice about how he could have avoided his daughter’s illness. He didn’t get frustrated that the father came to Him. He didn’t explain that He’d like to help the father, but He was a little busy at the moment. No, Mark 5:24 states, “So Jesus went with him…”.

On their way, surrounded by “a great multitude” of people, Jesus barely able to move without someone “MINDLESSLY” touching or bumping into the Savior, a woman comes up behind Jesus. This woman had an issue of her own for 12 years. She INTENTIONALLY touches his garment BELIEVING that if she could just touch a piece of his clothing she would be healed. And she was. Jesus stopped in the midst of the great crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

He is being pushed, pulled, poked, touched in every direction in this huge crowd of people following him and he asks this? I can imagine the perplexed looks on His disciples faces, and one finally asking, “WHAT?!?”. An easier question to answer might have been, “Who hasn’t touched my clothes?”!

Jesus felt His power go out of Him, only when this UNCLEAN woman reached out and touched his garment. She receiving His power, instantly healed, just as she had believed. After hearing Him ask, she knows that He means her, among all the others that it could have been, because she KNEW immediately that she was healed…she FELT it. So she falls to his feet (worship), fearing and trembling (reverence) and told Him the truth (confession - she was unclean and wasn’t supposed to be there). He then tells her that her FAITH had made her well. (Her faith in Him - was the “thing” that she had “done” to make her well.).

Jesus continues on with the father of the dying daughter with the great “mindless” multitude still following when someone from his daughter’s house comes to tell the girl’s father that his daughter is dead. Instructing him that there was no sense in bringing Jesus to her now, it was hopeless. “Maybe she’s just dead.”

Jesus tells the man, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” ---- Why didn’t he tell this to the father? The father just learned that his daughter is dead. Why does it not mention a typical reaction of a father receiving this news? Defeat. Grief. I assume it was because he believed in Jesus and His saving power, even though he surely had never seen anyone raise a dead person.

Jesus stopped the great multitude, still mindless; still aweless, from following and only allowed three of his disciples and the father to continue.

Many were gathered at the home of the girl, weeping and wailing loudly. Jesus asked them why they were weeping and informed them that the girl was not dead, but only sleeping. They ridiculed Him. They didn’t believe. He sent them all outside, except for his three disciples and the mother and father. Jesus took her hand, commanded her to rise and she did, immediately! They were overcome with great amazement. Jesus then commanded them strictly that no one should know it. This miraculous event happens in front of their eyes and they can’t tell the world? Why?

The believers were given a reward for their faith. The doubters were not because they weren’t convinced by that time, this, likely wouldn’t either. In their doubt they wouldn’t believe and Jesus knew that. They’d make excuses or come up with reasonable doubt…saying, ”Maybe she WAS just sleeping.”.



Maybe he just has autism.


That’s what the great multitude mindlessly believe. I believe differently.

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