16 Mar He Chose to Heal Blind Bartimaeus (Forty Days with Jesus – Day 14, Mar 4th)
Read Mark 10:46-52
Thought for the Day: Like Jesus, let’s learn to listen first and then respond!
He had no job. He had no friends. He was used to having people telling him to be silent. It is fair to say that his society wished he would simply disappear. For blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, life seemed pretty hopeless. While everyone was used to telling him what to do, no one ever bothered to take the time to stop and listen. Then one day, Jesus came to town and Bartimaeus hoped he had found someone who would finally listen to him. Running towards Jesus, Bartimaeus quickly found himself on the receiving end of the crowd’s disapproval. But suddenly, he could tell that something was different this time. Jesus called for Bartimaeus.
Amazingly, Jesus didn’t simply perform a healing and then move on. Instead, He asked Bartimaeus a simple question: “What do you want me to do for you?” When Bartimaeus asked to be healed of his blindness, Jesus performed more than just a physical healing. Instead, He chose to restore the dignity of a man who had spent his entire life being treated as an outcast. While to everyone else he was little more than a nuisance, Jesus saw that Bartimaeus had worth and integrity!
For the first time in his life, Bartimaeus found someone willing to take the time to listen to him. Too often, we find ourselves reacting without truly seeing and hearing the needs of others. It is easy to look at those like Bartimaeus and simply brush them off. But that is not what Jesus did, and it is not what we are called to do. Today, let’s learn the power of Jesus’ question. When we encounter those who feel unheard, let’s stop and take the time to listen before responding!
Reflect & Pray – Do I have a tendency to react without listening? Is there someone in my life who God is calling me to simply listen to? God, please give me the willingness to listen before immediately talking!
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