people?"

Jesus answered gently. "Among all men, none is greater than John. He was
sent to prepare the way for me. Just the same, the very least person in
the Kingdom is greater than John."

Andrew sighed. He could not believe Jesus was wrong. And yet it was hard
to be satisfied with a kingdom that did not set the people free from
oppression, even if it was a kingdom of truth and help for the poor.

"You will soon be sent out to spread the news of the true Kingdom
through this land," said Jesus. "You must find out for yourselves how
great is the power God has sent among you."

During the week that followed, Jesus led the twelve men through the
country on the other side of the Lake of Galilee. The power of his words
and actions amazed his disciples. Not until the day they returned to
Galilee, however, did the disciples begin to grasp for themselves the
true meaning of what was happening.

While Jesus was absent from Capernaum with the Twelve, disease struck
down the daughter of a man named Jairus, an elder of the synagogue.
Jairus had strongly disapproved when the high priest ordered the elders
of his synagogue to forbid Jesus to preach there, but he had been unable
to do anything about it.

The doctors in Capernaum could not help the girl. Jairus was terribly
worried. Then he thought of Jesus. Perhaps this great Teacher could heal
his daughter! His heart sank when Simon's wife told him that Jesus and
the others were in the country of Gadara, across the lake, and that she
did not know when they would be back.

Every minute that Jairus did not spend at the bedside of the sick child,
he watched the lake for a sign of Jesus' return. Three nights he sat up
with his little girl. As he hastened anxiously to the shore of the lake
on the last morning, he said sadly to himself, "If the Rabbi does not
come today, I shall never see my child alive again."

Near the lake he caught sight of a crowd of people on the shore and
broke into a run.

Jesus had just stepped out of the boat. Jairus pushed into the crowd,
thinking only of his dying daughter. He knelt imploringly at Jesus'
feet.

"O Rabbi! Help me! I am in great trouble!"

The disciples looked at one another in mild surprise. Was not this one
of the elders of the synagogue?

"These fellows are much humbler when they want something," remarked
Andrew to John.

"I know what I'd do if I were in the Master's place," murmured John.

Jesus instantly sensed the desper