In preparing for Bible Study this morning, just like last Wednesday, I was struck by something I read. We are studying Mark 10:46-52, the story of Jesus healing the blind man Bartimaeus. As Jesus and His entourage are traveling through Jericho, Bart hears that Jesus is in town. This blind man is unable to see Jesus, is sitting on the side of the road, marginalized because of his inability. So he does the only thing he can do, he starts yelling. He shouts to Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me. The crowds dont want Jesus to be bothered by such an annoyance, so they try to silence the man. But he cannot be silenced. He starts screaming for this Son of David to have mercy on him, to help him, to heal him. Now, yes, we see as we read the rest of the passage that Jesus does heal the man, and Bart becomes the model that the Gospel writer, Mark, hold up for what discipleship: faith leading to transformation leading to following Jesus. But what struck me this morning comes before the healing. In verse 49, we read that When Jesus heard him, He stopped and said... The Greek is even more stark in its description of Jesus action here: Jesus stood still... Jesus, the Son of God, the great Messiah all of humanity has waited for, stops dead in His tracks at the sound of human suffering and need. Not much in the Gospels was said to make Jesus stand still. But human need, that did it. If the story of blind Bartimaeus is to be for us an example of discipleship, that does that mean, as disciples of Jesus, we too should be stopped dead in our tracks by the human suffering and need for mercy all around us? What does this mean for the beggar on the street corner? For the single parent trying to keep food on the table and seeking a friend? What about the thousands of children sent to cross the borders of an unknown country seeking mercy and a better life? Have you ever been stopped dead in your tracks because of the need youve seen or heard? Why not? If we are truly seeking to follow Jesus, I think we need to stand still more often and hear the voices crying out for mercy!
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 13:50:06 +0000
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