photo credit: donald macleod (creative commons)
Have you ever had to beg?
I mean really beg?
Like standing on the street corner asking for food to eat because it had been three days and you were starving. Or holding up a sign needing work because you got laid off and needed money to put shoes on your kids’ feet.
I’m blessed to say I haven’t.
But I met someone who has.
Okay – I didn’t actually meet him. I was introduced to him in Mark 10:46-52. His name is Bartimaeus and he was a beggar.
In the days of Jesus, seeing beggars on the side of the road was very common. So many of the jobs back then were physical and anyone with a crippling disease or some form of disability were at a disadvantage. They were usually forced to beg.
Did I mention he was blind too?
Something changed in the life of Bartimaeus the day Jesus stepped into Jericho. Though he couldn’t see, he knew Jesus was in town.
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
I love the boldness in his shout. I want that. But his boldness was quickly rebuked. People were trying to shut him up.
He was just some loser standing on the corner of the road begging for money.
But he yelled again.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
“Rabbi,” I want to see.”
“Go”
That was the first word to come out of Jesus’ mouth after this beggar hollered across the street and proclaimed he wanted to see.
“Your faith has healed you.”
A few minutes before he was a disgraced blind man without a job. Now he was staring into the eyes of Jesus, whom had just healed him.
Whoa!
Is it really that simple?
It amazes me how blind I can be sometimes.
- Blind to the blessings God poured out on me yesterday because today I feel too sorry for myself to pay attention. (Sounds like the Israelites in the wildnerness)
- Blind to the many ways He has already healed me. I forget to see that because of the pain I’m in today.
- Blind to the encouraging people He puts in my life because I’m too busy talking to Him about loneliness.
- Blind to the miracles He performs in others’ lives because I want my own miracle.
- Blind to the prayers He answered this morning because I’m too focused on why the rest of the day didn’t go as planned.
What if we’re missing our chance?
What if we’re missing the very thing Jesus is putting right in front of us?
I want the bold, yet simple faith of Bartimaeus.
I want to shout for Him regardless of who’s watching.
Regardless of what others think.
I want to stop making life so hard and come back to the simplicity. I want to see.
Question: What have you been blind to? Comment below…
Want to never miss a blog post again?
Click here and new posts will be sent directly to your email.