Upheld In Blindness or Sight

“Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!”

Blind Bartimaeus cried out one day as Jesus and his disciples walked by. Bartimaeus lived just outside Jericho—yes, where the walls had once fallen down.  As he heard Jesus’ entourage coming down the road and someone told him who it was, he began to call out.

He was sitting on the road, outside the city. But even there as he yelled, he was told to hush up. He was too noisy. But he didn’t hush up. He called all the louder. Of course, by acknowledging that Jesus was the Son of David, Bartimaeus was announcing to all those around him that he believed Jesus to be the Messiah and Heir to the throne.  That was something the elite did not want spread around.

Jesus came abreast of Bartimaeus,  and someone told him that Jesus was there. Bartimaeus threw aside his robe and scrambled to his feet to go stand before Jesus, who asked him, “what do you want me to do for you?”

“I want to see.”

Jesus said, “Go your way, your faith has made you well.” It seems Jesus, Himself, was Bartimaeus’ way, because he followed Jesus after that.

What courage it must have taken to ignore the important, sighted people around him who told Bartimaeus to shut up. He knew what he wanted and he went after it. He didn’t waste any time, either. He clambered to his feet in his eagerness to get to Jesus.

As Bartimaeus received his sight, Jesus told him it was his faith that he healed him. And Bartimaeus followed Jesus after that. So, he got his sight and promptly turned around to use it to serve the One who gave it to him. I wonder what his role was in establishing the new movement that sprang up after Jesus’ physical life on earth was done?

Would that we all had sight to see what was in front of us. Would that we would be so eager to get to Jesus. Would that we return the very gifts He gives us right back in service to Him. What wonder and what fulfillment we might experience in our lives.

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go your way; you faith has made you well.’ And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road” Mark 10:52.