Deacon Jude Tam Tran

STAY AWAY FROM ME, LORD!

"Do you want to get well?" — (John 5:6) "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" — (Isaiah 43:18-19)

At a senior housing community, three old friends sat on a bench under a giant maple tree, enjoying the afternoon sunshine and doing what senior citizens have perfected into an art form: comparing medical problems.

The first man, Charlie, rubbed his knees and groaned.
"My joints have hurt for over twenty years. Knees, elbows, shoulders, fingers—you name it, it hurts. Every morning I sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies. Snap, crackle, pop."

The second man, Frank, shook his head sympathetically.
"You think that's bad? I've had a headache for fifteen years. Every day. Sometimes I wake up with a headache before I'm even awake."

The third man, Joe, leaned carefully against the bench.
"Amateurs," he said. "I've had back pain for twenty-five years. I can't sit, stand, bend, twist, or sneeze without consulting my chiropractor first."

The three men nodded respectfully. In senior circles, suffering earns prestige.

Just then, a bright light appeared in the middle of the courtyard.

The birds stopped singing.

The wind became still.

And standing before them was Jesus Himself.

The three men stared in complete shock.

Charlie whispered, "Either we're having a group hallucination, or this is really happening."

Jesus smiled and walked toward Charlie.

"Charlie," He said gently, "I am Jesus. Do you believe I can heal you?"

Charlie nearly fell off the bench.

"Believe? Lord, I've been waiting twenty years for this moment!"

Jesus touched him.

Immediately Charlie jumped to his feet.

He bent his knees.
He touched his toes.
He rotated his shoulders.

Then he started doing jumping jacks.
"I can move! I can move! I haven't felt this good since the Nixon administration!"

The other two men stared with their mouths open.

Jesus then turned to Frank.
"Frank, do you believe I can heal you?"

Frank nodded so fast he almost created another headache.
"Absolutely, Lord."

Jesus touched his forehead.
Instantly the pain disappeared.

Frank looked around in amazement.
"The headache is gone!"

He smiled.
Then he smiled bigger.
Then he started smiling just because he could.
"I forgot what life felt like without pain!"

The two healed men danced around the courtyard like teenagers who had just discovered caffeine.

Jesus then turned toward Joe.
"Joe, do you believe I can heal you?"

Joe's eyes widened.

Suddenly he grabbed his walker and backed away.
"No! No! Stay back!"

Jesus looked puzzled.

Joe backed up even farther.
"Don't touch me!"

Charlie shouted, "Joe, are you crazy? It's Jesus!"

Frank added, "He's healing people for free!"

Joe waved his hands frantically.
"I know who He is! That's exactly why I'm staying away!"

Jesus asked, "Why would you not want to be healed?"

Joe whispered urgently,
"Because I'm on Workman's Compensation! If I get healed, I'll lose my benefits!"

The courtyard fell silent.
Charlie stared.
Frank stared.
Even the birds seemed embarrassed.
Joe continued,
"Lord, I appreciate the offer. Really, I do. But can we maybe revisit this after my next benefits review?"

At that point Charlie laughed so hard he almost needed another miracle.

This story reminds us that freedom often requires us to surrender something familiar. The very thing we complain about may also be the thing we use as an excuse, a crutch, or a source of security. Growth begins when we are willing to let go of what is comfortable and trust God with what comes next.

The humor in this story works because it exposes something surprisingly common in human nature.

Most people would say they want change.
Most people would say they want freedom.
Most people would say they want God to solve their problems.

Yet sometimes we become so comfortable with our circumstances—even painful ones—that we secretly resist the very solution we've been praying for.

Our limitations can become familiar.
Our excuses can become comfortable.
Our habits can become part of our identity.

We may complain about them for years while quietly holding on to them.

This story reminds us that freedom often requires us to surrender something familiar. The very thing we complain about may also be the thing we use as an excuse, a crutch, or a source of security. Growth begins when we are willing to let go of what is comfortable and trust God with what comes next.

That is why Jesus asked a fascinating question in the Bible when He encountered a man who had been disabled for thirty-eight years:

"Do you want to get well?" (John 5:6)

At first glance, the question sounds ridiculous. Of course, he wanted to get well!

But Jesus understood something about the human heart. Sometimes people become so accustomed to a condition that they no longer know who they would be without it.

Another verse speaks directly to this struggle:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" (Isaiah 43:18-19)

God often wants to move us forward, but we keep negotiating with the past.

We want new opportunities without new responsibilities.
We want growth without change.
We want miracles without disruption.
We want Jesus close enough to bless us but not so close that He transforms us.

The funny old man on the bench represents all of us at one time or another.

Maybe our "workman's compensation" isn't money.
Maybe it's a grudge we've carried for years.
Maybe it's fear of failure.
Maybe it's a comfort zone that keeps us from pursuing a dream.
Maybe it's a bad habit that gives us a convenient excuse for not becoming the person we could be.

The lesson is simple:

When God opens a door, don't cling to the chains simply because they have become familiar.

When healing comes, receive it.
When opportunity comes, pursue it.
When change comes, embrace it.

Because sometimes the greatest obstacle to a better future is not the problem itself—it's our reluctance to let go of the benefits we think the problem provides.

And if Jesus ever walks up to you offering a miracle, it is probably best not to respond:
"Thank You, Lord... but could You come back after my paperwork is processed?"