Bartimeaus, the blind beggar, clearly “saw” who Jesus was. He quickly cast his cloak aside when Jesus called him. This cloak, most likely spread out to collect coins, was probably all that he owned. Abandoning the cloak showed he understood that what Jesus could offer him was worth more than any material possession.
Bartimeaus also wasn't worried about what the people around him thought. They kept telling him to be quiet, but he continued to shout out to Jesus in faith. He could not be dissuaded from proclaiming the truth of Jesus’ identity as the messiah.
And how did Bartimeaus respond to his healing? Jesus told him to “go your way,” and instead he followed Jesus.
We are called to be like Bartimeaus—to be persistent in faith and to have the courage to share our faith with others. By being aware of what blinds us from recognizing God’s presence, we can take a step toward deepening our understanding of what it means to live out our Christian faith.
We are all beggars. We are all in need of growth and healing. But we are all servants as well, and charged to “see” and reach out to others in mercy and love.
What are things that blind you from recognizing signs of God’s presence in your life? How can you be healed of that blindness?
Adapted from Word on the Go, a downloadable resource from RENEW International.