Seeing With the Eyes of Faith

The Faith of Bartimaeus

It was just another day in the life of Bartimaeus. He sat beside the road in the dust, the sun beating down on his head, hoping that a few kind-hearted people who passed by would give him enough money to buy food. That’s the way many blind people made a living in those days. They couldn’t see, so they couldn’t work; they begged for a living. The road to Jericho was well-traveled and perhaps that’s why Bartimaeus came to this spot, day after day.

As he sat there,  hearing the voices of those who walked along the hot, busy highway, he heard a change in the conversation. “He’s coming,” someone may have said. “Look at that crowd. I believe I can see Him.”

Growing ever nearer to Bartimaeus was the sound of a great many feet and the voices of a lot of people.

“Who? Who’s coming?” Bartimaeus may have asked. “What is that noise of people coming toward us?”

“It’s Jesus!” someone told him. “It’s Jesus of Nazareth! He’s walking this way.”

Bartimaeus had evidently heard of Jesus. He must have known that Jesus made sick people well and he had heard that He brought the dead back to life. He must have believed that Jesus was a special person, a man touched by God. Perhaps he even knew in his heart that Jesus was the Son of God. Maybe Bartimaeus had dreamed of meeting Jesus; perhaps, in his dreams, he had gone to the Lord and asked Him for his sight. Excitement and hope gave him courage. Could Jesus help him too?

Bartimaeus, jostled by those around him, raised his voice and shouted, “Jesus, you son of David, have mercy on me!”

Can you imagine the response of those around Bartimaeus? “Hush!” they might have said. “Will you be quiet? It’s Jesus, don’t you understand? He has no time for a poor person like you! Who do you think you are, anyway?”

Bartimaeus didn’t listen to them.The noise of the crowd swelled. People milled around him, pushing him away from the road. Excitement filled the heart of Bartimaeus. Here was the Master, the Teacher from Nazareth! He was within touching distance! If he could only see Him.

So, Bartimaeus shouted loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

In all that crowd of people, with many following Him, Jesus stopped. He commanded that Bartimaeus be called.

Bartimaeus must not have heard Jesus because of the noise of the throng, but someone told him, “Be of good cheer. Rise. He is calling you.”

The blind beggar didn’t have to be told twice. He got up and threw off his outer garment that might have impeded his walking, and went to Jesus.

The Lord asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The burning desire of his heart was to be able to see. Maybe Bartimaeus had tears in his sightless eyes; perhaps his voice shook, as he cried, “Rabboni, that I might receive my sight.”

Then Jesus spoke those wonderful words that changed the life of Bartimaeus forever. “Go your way, your faith has made you whole.”

And, do you know what Bartimaeus did? He left his old begging spot beside the highway and followed this Man who had healed his blinded eyes. His way became the way of Jesus!  Not only could he see physically, he could see spiritually. Only the Son of God could do the impossible. Now he could see those around him, and he could see Jesus. He did what we all do when Jesus heals us of sin and opens our eyes to the truth. Why would Bartimaeus want to be anywhere else but near his Master, to hear and follow His teachings? And, why would we?

(Mark 10:46-52)