“Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
(Mark 2:3-5)
If you’ve ever watched an e-sports tournament, you already know how the story usually goes. The cameras focus on the superstar. The commentators talk about the MVP.
Highlight videos show the spectacular eliminations, the impossible reactions, the game-winning play. Months later people still remember the name of the player who landed the final shot.
But almost nobody remembers the supporting teammates. Those who secured vision, sacrificed resources so someone else could carry or spent hundreds of hours preparing strategies.
Yet those who understand the game know something important:
Championships are often won by people whose names never appear in the highlights. The world remembers the hero. The team remembers the helpers. The Lord sees them even more clearly.
One of the most beautiful truths found in Scripture is that the Lord notices people the world often overlooks. The Word is filled with forgotten heroes.
People who appear only briefly. People who never become famous. People whose names are hardly remembered. Yet their actions changed lives.
One of the greatest examples appears in today’s Gospel.
A paralytic man desperately needed help. He could not reach the Lord by himself. The crowd was too large and there were too many obstacles. The situation seemed hopeless.
Then four unnamed men appeared. We do not know their occupations, their ages or where they came from. We do not even know their names.
What we know is this:
They carried their friend. When the crowd blocked the entrance, they did not give up. When the situation became difficult, they did not turn around. When obstacles appeared, they found another way. They climbed onto the roof and opened it. They lowered their friend directly before the Lord. Then the Lord performed the miracle.
The paralytic stood and walked out. He was healed.
Every time I read this story, I find myself wondering about those four men. Without them, the miracle never happens. Without them, the paralytic never reaches the Lord. Without them, the story ends very differently.
Yet they remain anonymous. They are among Scripture’s forgotten heroes and perhaps that is exactly the point. Because heaven measures greatness differently than the world.
The world rewards visibility but heaven rewards being useful to others.
The world asks: “How many people noticed me?”
Heaven asks: “How many people did I help?”
This teaching runs throughout the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Again and again he writes that being useful to others is the very heartbeat of heaven.
In Heaven and Hell, he explains that every angel finds joy in serving others and contributing to the common good. Their happiness comes not from being admired but from being useful. Their delight comes not from standing above others but from helping others flourish.
That teaching challenges the spirit of our age. We live in a culture obsessed with attention. People compete for followers, likes, views, recognition and influence.
Yet the Lord repeatedly directs our attention toward something else. Toward service, being useful, charity and love in action.
This is where gaming gives us another powerful illustration. Every experienced gamer understands the importance of support roles. Imagine a team where every player insists on being the star. Nobody wants to heal or tank. Nobody wants to protect objectives. Everyone just wants the spotlight.
What happens?
The team loses. Not because the players lack skill. But because nobody is willing to perform the less glamorous tasks that make victory possible.
Many of the greatest players in history have said that support roles often determine the outcome of a match more than flashy plays do.
Good vision, communication, positioning and teamwork wins games. But these contributions rarely appear in highlight videos. They are invisible victories.
Some of the most important Christian virtues work exactly the same way.
Encouragement rarely makes headlines. Faithfulness rarely becomes famous. Kindness is rarely celebrated by the world. Prayer often happens where nobody can see it. Patience receives little applause.
Yet heaven sees all of it. The Lord sees every hidden act of service. This brings us back to the battle at Rephidim:
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”
(Exodus 17:8-13)
Most people remember Moses. Many remember Joshua. Few remember Aaron and Hur. Yet without Aaron and Hur, Israel loses. The battle depended upon them.
When Moses grew weary, they stood beside him. When his strength failed, they supported him. When the burden became too heavy, they helped carry it.
What an extraordinary picture of a heavenly life. Because sooner or later every believer becomes Moses. Every believer experiences moments of exhaustion, discouragement and when faith feels difficult. Moments when temptation feels overwhelming.
It is in those moments the Lord often sends an Aaron and a Hur. Sometimes it is a friend. Sometimes it is a spouse. Sometimes it is a pastor. Sometimes it is a church member. Sometimes it is someone who simply listens.
Those people are heaven’s support players. They rarely receive applause, yet they help win battles. They often have no idea how important they are.
The True Christianity League was built upon this principle. The goal is not merely to create good gamers. The goal is to create good teammates. To become both good and faithful teammates.
Players who understand that helping others is more important than personal glory. Players who know how to encourage rather than mock. Players who know how to build rather than tear down. Players who understand that every community needs support roles. Because the Lord’s kingdom is full of support roles.
In fact, if we are honest, every one of us depends upon people whose names we may never know. Someone taught us, encouraged us, forgave us and helped us.
Perhaps one day we will discover in heaven just how many unseen heroes helped guide us there. Perhaps we will meet people whose faithfulness and kindness strengthened us. Those people who never became famous but changed the course of our lives.
It is in that moment we may discover that heaven’s greatest heroes were not always the most visible. They were the most useful to others and carried others to the Lord. Just like the four men. Just like Aaron and Hur. Just like countless faithful Christians throughout history.
May we become such people and serve without recognition.
May we be willing to help without applause.
May we be willing to carry others when their strength fails.
Amen.