More Than A Blessing
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!” Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
And Jesus said to him, “Go, for your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road. Mark 10:49-52
We all have things in our life where we see something where we have an initial response to it but when we look closer, we find something quite different from what we initially thought. For example, when I met my wife, I thought she was funny, and she believed I was a spoiled child. However, after about six months of working together, she decided I should take her out for her birthday (yes, that is literally what she said to me). While I had to cancel the date due to work obligations, I promised to make it up to her. Neither of us knew that it would begin what is now a forty-year journey into life together. What we saw in that initial meeting turned out to be far bigger and deeper than either of us could have imagined.
It is funny how we tend to see things as Christians. We have needs that we go to God for. Things such as helping with a bill, dealing with a delicate situation with a loved one, or healing from an ailment. However, a sermon challenged me to see God differently. It talked about Bartimaeus, the blind man who came to Jesus. The pastor made a very key distinction about the blind man. He noted that yes, the blind man asked Jesus for sight. But what we did not see is that the blind man saw a need he had that others did not see. He saw Jesus as someone who could fully restore his soul. The pastor said, “Everyone else wanted Jesus to fit into their life. Bartimaeus wanted Jesus to change his life.” The crowd saw a nuisance. The disciples saw an interruption. But Bartimaeus saw the Messiah who could restore not only his eyes, but his soul.
We should spend time ensuring we come before God with needs beyond our immediate situation. Bartimaeus asked for sight, but Jesus rewarded his faith with much more. Notice that once he could see, he followed Jesus down the road. He didn’t run home to admire the sunset, inspect the marketplace, or show off his new eyes. He used his restored sight to walk behind the One who gave it. His desire was not simply to see but to belong. His healing did not just change what he could look at. It changed whom he lived for.
Furthermore, Bartimaeus recognized Jesus as “My Rabbi,” a title of honor, trust, and surrender. Meanwhile, the crowd around Jesus had physical sight, but could not see Christ for who He truly was. Some of us ask Jesus for things that improve our situation, but not our direction. We want help without transformation. We want blessings without surrender. We want Jesus to make our life better but not necessarily make our life His. It is that we can build a deeper sense of meaning. We can strengthen our bond with our true source not only for blessings but also lasting and impactful change in our lives and those who we both touch and serve.
Like Bartimaeus, Jesus invites us to name what we need. “What do you want me to do for you?” It is not a casual question. It is an invitation. One response leads to a moment of relief, but the other leads to a lifetime of following. One leads to sight, but the other leads to discipleship. Today, instead of only asking God to fix something, let us ask Him to transform something within us. Ask Him not only to open our eyes but to guide where our life goes once we can truly see. Where in my life do I ask God to improve my situation without inviting Him to transform my heart? Who can I show Jesus to this week, not just in words, but by the direction my life is following? My prayer is that Jesus would help us not only see clearly but follow Him faithfully with restored hearts and renewed purpose. Amen.