A simple request, a loaded answer, an amazing outcome!

I know some people that can read large amounts of a book or the Bible and retain it all. I'm not one of those people. I take things in small amounts, digest them, incorporate them, and then move to the next little chunk. So that is how I tend to read the Bible...in small amounts at a time. Today's little chunk was just awesome to me! I found it in Mark chapter 10, verses 46-52.

It's not a crazy teaching passage, or some super ginormous thing that happens. You have Jesus walking down the road, and there is this blind guy named Bartimaeus that hears about Jesus coming through. He doesn't know where exactly Jesus is at so he just starts screaming for Jesus. "Jesus! Jesus! Son of David! Have mercy on me!" (it's interesting here that he did not call Jesus of Nazareth, but Jesus, Son of David which is a term reserved for the Messiah...he was showing faith by calling Jesus this title).

People around Bartimaeus are getting annoyed and embarassed of their local blind beggar. As they were telling him to be quiet, Jesus calls for him to be brought over.

Jesus asked Bart what he wanted Him to do. Bart has one simple request. "I WANT TO SEE!"

I think that Jesus was pleased with this answer because in that moment, Jesus not only granted Bart's eyes to see, but his heart to see as well.

Jesus tells him, "Go your way. Your faith has healed you."

How do I know that Bart's heart could see too? Well, the outcome tells it all.

Verse 52 says that instantly Bart could see, and then he followed Jesus down the way!

Jesus told him to go his way, but out of his gratitude and thanks, He followed Jesus!

Let me ask you today, have you allowed Jesus to open your heart so you can see? What if you were to ask Him today, "Lord, help me to see You clearly, and to see people the way you see people." Do you think something would change with how you treated others? What about how you saw the grocery store checkout person? The mailman? The drive-thru attendant? Your waiter? Is your response to follow the way that Jesus leads you? If not, why? Why don't we go down the way that Jesus is going and see where He takes us? Give it a try. I know you won't be disappointed.

Have a great day!

Ron Foster