Luke 18:35-43
Have you ever encountered a special moment of grace, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you knew you could not pass up? Such a moment came for a blind and destitute man, named Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52). He was determined to get near the one person who could meet his need. He knew who Jesus was and had heard of his fame for healing, but until now had no means of contacting the Son of David, a clear reference and title for the Messiah. It took a lot of “guts” and persistence for Bartimaeus to get the attention of Jesus over the din of a noisy throng who crowded around Jesus as he made his way out of town. Why was the crowd annoyed with the blind man’s persistent shouts? He was disturbing their peace and interrupting Jesus’ discourse. It was common for a rabbi to teach as he walked with others. Jesus was on his way to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem and a band of pilgrims followed him. When the crowd tried to silence the blind man he overpowered them with his emotional outburst and thus caught the attention of Jesus.
This incident reveals something important about how God interacts with us. The blind man was determined to get Jesus’ attention and he was persistent in the face of opposition. Jesus could have ignored or rebuffed him because he was disturbing his talk and audience. Jesus showed that acting was more important than talking. This man was in desperate need and Jesus was ready, not only to empathize with his suffering but to relieve it as well. A great speaker can command attention and respect, but a man or woman with a helping hand and a big heart are loved more. Jesus commends Bartimaeus for recognizing who he is with the eyes of faith and grants him physical sight. Do you realize your need for God’s healing grace and seek Jesus out, like Bartimaeus, with persistent faith and trust in his goodness and mercy?
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