Luke 18:35-43 Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem to fulfill his mission when he was stopped by a blind man at the entrance of Jericho. Those that walked with Jesus, those who led the way for Jesus were fixed on their agenda of moving Jesus along. They pushed and shoved everyone out of the way. They shouted, make way make way, our Lord Jesus is coming through. They were too fixed on their mission to hear a cry for help. A man who did not walk with Jesus cried for help, and those that walked with Jesus told him to sit down and be quiet. We who walk with Jesus are on a mission we do not have time to listen to someone who has been marginalized on the side of the road of life. Our mission is too important to listen to someone who doesn’t even walk with our Lord. But, this blind man could see something that those that walked with Jesus could not see. He cried even louder and expressed his faith by exclaiming “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” This blind man could see that the Lord God was walking among this group of people. He did not walk with Jesus, but he could sense the power of the Lord walking by. He could sense the fulfilling of a prophecy in which the Messiah would come and save humanity. These people were not going to make him be quiet and settle for the status quo. He was not going to respect the wishes of those in charge and quietly remain begging for hand outs at the entrance of the city or the entrance of the church. From the side of the road of life, form the outside of the stream of popular thought, from outside the flow of the crowd. He cried out and rebukes made him yell louder.
Our Lord put his trek to the cross, his road to sacrifice, his mission to reconciliation of God and humanity, on hold. Jesus stopped. Do you think prayer works? This blind man with a vision of faith believed in prayer. From his marginalized, belittled, sidelined, fragment of a divided society he cried out and the Lord stopped. Jesus ordered the man into his presence and asked “what do you want me to do for you?” The marginalized person who did not walk with Jesus from the side of the road of life said “I want to see!” Oh my Lord, I want to see your presence in my life. I want to see those who walk with you. I want to be included in the number of those people who walk with Jesus, the Lord and Savior of all humanity.
My Lord rewarded this man for his faith. Instantly, his sight was restored. Now at this point the blind beggar, from outside this group of people without a vision grounded in faith, could have turned around and said “Ahah you people told me to be quiet but the Lord has granted favor on me. You blind people with your mission to sacrifice an innocent man, tried to keep me out but you failed. I have to admit that in his stead, I would be tempted to take this route, but this man took a different route. He did not look back; he was not bothered by past discrimination. Through his faith this blind, beggar from Minority Lane, Marginalized Boulevard, saw what those that tried to quiet him could not see. He saw our Lord. His faith and persistence stopped Jesus on the way to the cross. His sight was restored and he immediately walked with Jesus praising him as Lord of Lords, son of the most high God. Messiah, Savior of all humanity. Praising Jesus has an infectious quality. When we praise Jesus with the gratitude of our heart it causes the blind to take notice. The miracle that Jesus can do in the life of one who could not see causes others to praise the one true God. The people who once tried to quiet the beggar and keep him in his place saw the miracle and praised God too. Glory be to our merciful God because he is a good God. He unites what society divides. He brings together in praise those who disagree. Whether you walk with God or beg outside the city on the side of the road of life, God will listen. He will stop if you shout with faith. The vision of the church will be restored if those who are marginalized can be heard. We will all praise the Lord when the beggars are included in our ranks.
Help us my Lord to be persistent in our cry to you. Help us never to quiet those from the outside of popular thought. Help us never to be to preoccupied with our mission to pay attention to those who need. You my Lord are a good God and you give vision to those who put their faith in you.
Peace and Love,
Joel
Yet another in a string of truly inspirational blogs. May God help us to keep Christ as our constant guide, never letting us look down on others not believing in the Grace we could receive. Thank you, Joel, for this encouragement.
Nick