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Day 2: He Would Not Be Silenced
Obstacles are put in our paths to determine how much we want what's on the other side of them. Bartimaeus had heard about the many things Jesus did. He was not going to let anything get in the way of his once-in-a-lifetime moment with Jesus. And you shouldn't either!
The crowd did not think this beggar was worthy of Jesus' time and attention. Some people may feel the same way about you and me. Bartimaeus did not fail at his tiny door. He was willing to face what-ever ridicule and humiliation were required to walk through his door to Jesus. Sometimes, we must starve and sacrifice our egos so Jesus can feed our souls.
Jesus told a story of two other men at the tiny door:
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with him-self, "God I thank You that I am not like the other men- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give thesis of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. - Luke 18:10-14
Martial artist and author Bohdi Sanders said, "Most would be horrified if they saw not their faces, but their true character, in the mirror every morning.
Blind Bartimaeus cried to Jesus based on the Lord's goodness, kindness, and mercy, not his own. He did not compare himself to anyone else to qualify for Jesus' attention. Putting someone else down never makes you any taller. Start crying out to God based on His merits and not your own. Then watch Him do for you what He did for Bartimaeus.
Most people today would have given up and retreated back to the side of the road, saying to themselves, I give up. Nobody understands me, nobody loves me, and everybody is out to get me." Not Bartimaeus. He only yelled louder. If you fuel your journey with the opinions of others, you are going to run out of gas.
Scripture
About this Plan
Jesus had departed for his final entry into Jerusalem. Death loomed less than two weeks away. In His characteristic and radical unselfishness, Jesus stopped for a final man before reaching Jerusalem. This would be the last healing He would perform before His final entry into the city to face the cross. In this reading pal, we'll take a deeper look at the story of the Bartimaeus and his healing.
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