blind

46They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” 50So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” 52Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Mark 10:46-52

Who are we not seeing?

I had a lot of exposure to this text over the past week.  First, I led our staff devotions by doing a lectio divina with the text, to explore what we hear this text call us to be and do.  Next, I was in the weekly Bible Study where we studied the text.  Finally, this was the text used for the sermons today.

The Bible studies are what always tend to stick out the most to me out of all others.  This fact is quite a clear interpretation of this particular text!  The interpretations you hear during the "no holds barred" Bible studies come from Bartimaeuses in our community.  These are the people that are told to be silent, not to sleep in parks, not to ask people for money or help.  Sometimes they are told, directly or indirectly, not to come to church (coats and ties are hard to come by!).

Have you seen a Bartimaeus?  Possibly.  Have you told him or her to be quiet?  Probably.  We all have at some point.  Little do we know that this only means we are the actual blind ones.  In this text, it is the one silenced by others that is praised for his faith.

A dear member of the BSM community (who will go by "Joe" to protect his identity) spoke up during our Bible study to point out the situation of this beggar.  The beggar was on the side of the street, in the middle of everything.  Joe mentioned how even though the beggar couldn't see, he could still hear the commotion going on all around him.  Joe told us that he has hearing problems and would struggle with even that.  Joe had been silenced his entire life and was having trouble relating to a beggar who had enough faith to petition Jesus for healing.  This was a sad re-affirmation of what our culture has done to the Bartimaeuses among us.

This scripture reminds us that there is deep faith and an example to be learned in the Bartimaeuses in our communities.  Perhaps it is time we stop silencing them and give them a chance to speak up!

Are we the real blind ones in this story?