This morning I was hit by a passage from Mark 10:46-52.
46 Then they reached Jericho, and as Jesus and his disciples left town, a large crowd followed him. A blind beggar named Bartimaeus (son of Timaeus) was sitting beside the road. 47 When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”
So they called the blind man. “Cheer up,” they said. “Come on, he’s calling you!” 50 Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.
Stories like these are strung throughout the new testament (everything after Micah) and I’ve read them countless times with very little impact. Today, though, it really stuck out to me that there was such faith, honesty and eagerness in blind Bartemeus. I love that when reprimanded, he only shouted louder. I love that he threw aside his coat, which I can assume would be an important piece of clothing that you wouldn’t want to misplace or have stolen if you were a blind man. I love that when asked, he was simple and honest to Jesus — not muddying his request by trying to impress Him. I love that Bartemeus was immediately healed.
I don’t have much to share that is mind-blowing, but I encourage you to sit with this passage and be in that town that day, on that road, watching this story take place. Let Christ heal you, or maybe heal your faith. Ask Jesus simply and honestly, “give me faith like Bartemeus.”