Of the crowd gathered around Jesus, Mark will draw attention to two ...

The most visible member of the community, Jairus was famous.
The woman was anonymous.

Jairus was wealthy.
The woman lived in poverty.

Jairus was the leader of the synagogue.
Because of her physical condition, the woman was forbidden from entering the synagogue.

For twelve years, as his daughter grew, the house of Jairus was filled with laughter and joy.
For twelve years, the house of the woman was filled with despair and misery.

And so these two people — at opposite ends of life’s spectrum — waited for Jesus.

Like Jairus, you might be riding high. Your business might be booming. Your marriage might be blessed. Your family might be growing. Your body might be healthy. But you don’t know what the next moment holds. Before the clock strikes midnight tonight, you might find yourself totally, unexpectedly in the middle of a major tragedy. You and I do not know what the next moment holds. You who are Jairuses here tonight, realize this: Like this man, the next moment might bring tragedy into your world.

Conversely, you, who, like the woman, have either been going through an endless stream of setbacks or one persistent problem, don’t know what the next hour holds. The next moment might bring you a miracle of astounding proportion.

Pondering this keeps me from complacency when I feel like I’m in Jairus’ sandals, and from despairing when it seems like I’m standing in the woman’s shoes. Both of their stories remind me that the Lord is my Shield and my Protector. And if He allows difficulty, setback, or tragedy to come into my life, He will also be my Glory and the Lifter of my head (Psalm 3:3).