Transcript
Jesus and the disciples are leaving the town of Jericho, heading south to Jerusalem. This is significant because He is heading toward those dramatic events that will lead to his suffering and death. The blind man who calls out to Jesus is Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. Although the crowd initially try to silence him, he will not be stopped so easily, probably because he has heard a lot about Jesus who, upon hearing Bartimaeus call out, calls him forward. And Jesus asks him the most unexpected question, what do you want me to do for you?
We often ask Jesus that same question in our prayer, Jesus, what do you want me to do for you? But this time it is Jesus who is asking Bartimaeus. Teacher, let me see again! So Bartimaeus was a man who lost his sight, thus lost his ability and his permission to be part of the society of that time. As a blind man, a man with eye disease, he was excluded from worship in the temple and many other activities. Jesus not only heals him but restores him to the community. With his sight miraculously returned, he follows Jesus as a disciple.
If we ask Jesus to help us see what He wants us to see, are we ready to respond with unconditional discipleship like Bartimaeus? If Jesus helps me see the broken heart of the teenager who yelled at me, or the joint pain of the old man who is slow at the checkout, or the poverty of the woman on the bus who does not smell too good. Am I ready to love them anyway? Be careful if Jesus offers to make you see, because that inner sight of empathy and compassion can be very costly, but it will only make us better followers of Jesus.