Walking with Jesus: Let Me See
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Have you ever walked through your neighborhood with someone who has never been there before? If not, try it sometime. It’s eye opening as to what a new person will notice about your street that you just don’t pay attention to anymore.
Perhaps that’s a bit like how the crowd felt when Jesus stopped and responded to Bartimaeus in today’s text (Mark 10:46-52). Had the crowd gotten so used to Bartimaeus’ shouting that they’d neglected to actually pay attention to what he was saying? How many times had he called out for mercy, only to be ignored? Now, maybe that’s not fair because there are times people choose to not pay attention because they feel helpless and noticing would require them to do something.
How much like the crowd are we? How much like Bartimaeus are we? And perhaps we are a combination of the two? Some of us might be struggling to see and feel seen, hear and be heard, know and feel known. This text can talk to each of us wherever we find ourselves today.
The story of Blind Bartimaeus acts as a bookend in Mark’s gospel. It closes out a long section that began back in chapter eight, when Jesus healed another blind man. And here we are in Chapter 10 where we’ve been walking with Jesus this month. The itinerary Jesus and his disciples have been following, as they travel from Galilee to Jerusalem, has been quite eventful.
They start off on this 85-mile hike, stopping outside Capernaum long enough for Jesus to teach about divorce and welcome the children who come to him. But they are soon on the road again, when they run into the rich young ruler, and Jesus tells them how difficult it will be for the wealthy to enter the kingdom of heaven.
As if that weren’t upsetting enough to his disciples, Jesus goes on to explain – for the third time since that first blind man was healed – how he will be arrested, beaten, and killed, once they get to Jerusalem. But on toward Jerusalem they go, and along the way, James and John ask a special favor of Jesus – which doesn’t make them very popular with the other disciples – and Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them how those who would be great must become servants of all.
In the span of forty-five verses, we’ve travelled from Capernaum to Jericho, just 15 miles from Jerusalem. This is where we finally meet the blind son of Timaeus, begging beside the road.
This healing story can be found in in all 4 gospels. Matthew, Luke, and John mention this healing just like Mark does. However, there is one big difference: the man remains anonymous in Matthew, Luke and John. In Mark, he has a name: Bartimaeus. Here are a few other important facts:
This is the last healing Jesus performs on his way to Jerusalem and the cross.
Bartimaeus address Jesus as ‘Son of David’ and not think much about it. However, ‘Son of David’ is a messianic title. The blind man ironically is the one who sees Jesus for who he is, and he is the only one to profess it publicly. (Peter confessed before, but that was private)
Jesus asks Bartimaeus the same question he has just asked (remember last week?) to James and John: “What do you want me to do for you?” Can you imagine?! Can you imagine Jesus standing in front of you asking what you want him to do for you?
“Let me see again.” Not, solve all my problems, or make bad things go away. Let me see again. Then from there, I’ll follow you. From there, I’ll let your will become my will as I daily search out the path that you would have me walk. Let me see again, so that I can be about the business of opening eyes to who you are and what you have to offer this world that clings to its blindness. Let me see again, so that I can find you whenever I need to. “Let me see again.”
Whether we have 20/20 vision, or need glasses, don’t we all have problems seeing when it comes to matters of faith?
How many of us, I wonder, are just sitting beside the road? Silenced by fear or embarrassment or shame? How would you respond to Jesus’ question? What is it that Jesus needs to heal in you so you can follow along the way? What do you need to hear from God to open yourself to the truth of God’s love? It’s not always easy to give voice to our deepest need. It can be frightening to speak the truth aloud. And even when we do, there are often those ready to shush us and tell us to be quiet.
Yet like Bartimaeus, we are invited to open our eyes to see our neighbors, to see ourselves, to see God’s glory! When we truly open our eyes, we might be surprised by what we see. If we, like Bartimaeus, allow Jesus to open our eyes we may see a path laid out before us that we never considered. We may find ourselves following Jesus all the way to the cross.
Jesus asks all of us, “What do you want me to do for you?” Be careful with your response. It’s a dangerous question. It could just change your life.
We could learn from one who was blind but now sees. He said: Let me see…and nothing was ever the same. Amen