Women Matter

     Jairus, a synagogue leader, came to Jesus to plead at His feet for the life of his daughter.  In this age women were not always treated well.  Mostly they were looked down upon like children.  However, some men would go out of their way for the women in their lives.  Jesus also had a special place in His heart for women.  We need to look at how He dealt with women to know how we need to be treated by the opposite sex.  We need to stand firm in our boundaries and the men need to respect them.
     Jairus' daughter was about the age where girls got married (12).  The crowd had their own agendas.  They did not understand why Jesus would walk away from them to help this one girl, so they crushed in upon Him trying to get their own needs met. 
     One of these people was a woman that had suffered 12 years of bleeding.  In her faith, she just touched Jesus' cloak to be healed.  Her faith healed her and Jesus knew it immediately.  His response confused His men. 
     Jesus finally made it to Jairus' house.  He only had Peter, John, and James with Him.  Perhaps the others stayed behind to deal with the crowd.  When they entered the house, Jairus was informed that his daughter was dead.  Jesus declared that she was only asleep.  He then ordered the girl to get up and she did. 
     I do not know the significance of the number 12 in this passage, but I don't believe that it is placed in there just for fact.  God has meaning in everything.  Maybe 12 years of a blessed life for one and torment for the other and Jesus made everything equal.

Luke 8:40-55