“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” John 5:6

Not everyone knows what they need. The preschooler in the check-out grocery line displays complete disgust as their loving parent refuses to buy candy. The child is frustrated because, what they see chocolate is all life needs to be happy.

Every life has something lacking. If we owned everything, there would be no reason to strive, no reason to dream, no reason to cherish. Value is realized by the amount of enrichment something brings that would be missed if not there. In this scripture, the man being asked, “Do you want to be healed?”

Every life struggles with something lost. He has been an invalid for thirty-eight years. While thirty-eight years seems a long time, the implication is that he has not been that way all of life. If he had, the Bible would say he had been an invalid from birth.

Every life seeks solutions that do not work. For 38 years, nothing had worked so far. He continually aimed at a solution he thought would work. This man thought his answer would be in angels. He felt hope at a pool. He had heard of a possible solution. However, in 38 years, no progress had been made.

Every life sees obstacles in their way to happiness. The rumor was that when an angel rippled the water the first person in the water was healed. The invalid at the pool was too slow to be the first in the water. Others stole his blessing by expressing their own selfishness and need. All he saw was obstacles in his way to happiness.

Every life discovers that many solutions are temporary. There was no rumor that the angelic rippling of water prevented further illnesses. The rumor only said current problems would be solved. If the invalid had been healed and walk away, he continued to need other solutions for life.

Every life is precious in the Savior’s eyes. Jesus focused specifically on the invalid. Jesus knew how long he had been there. Jesus initiated the meeting. Jesus came with the purpose of helping the man. Jesus cared for this man when no one else seemed to notice. Jesus knew his need and wanted to be his solution.

Jesus knew his greatest need was a Savior, not a solution. Jesus came into the world to seek and save the lost The lost are those who wish for a solution to their struggles in life but look for the wrong answers. Jesus heart was to give him eternal life, not just a treat for the day.

Jesus asks us, “Do you want to get well? Don’t seek second best! Jesus knows that life without him will bring something worse. He is not just the solution for today, but forever!

Dr. John Temple is chaplain of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office. From the Shepherd’s Heart is published Fridays in The Meridian Star.