Sunday Inspiration: September 1, 2024
When Helping Hurts
Have you heard the one about the guy who goes to see the psychiatrist? "Doc," says the guy, "We have a problem. My brother-in-law thinks he is a chicken. He goes around the house scratching, building nests, pecking. It's a mess. It is driving my sister crazy. We have to do something."
The psychiatrist replies, "Sounds like simple neurosis. I can help him. Bring him in, and we will get him over this delusion of thinking he is a chicken."
The man says, "Oh no, Doc! We can't do that! We need the eggs."
Sometimes, there is a payoff to our problems. We like the attention our ailment brings. We get a benefit from the attention.
But not blind Bartimaeus. He wanted to be healed. He wanted to have his eyesight restored. He was tired of being held back by his blindness.
A blind man is forced to beg because of his disability. It is how he puts food on the table and is his only way to survive. He hears Jesus walking by and shouts, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me" (Luke 8:38)!
Jesus hears him, calls to him, and heals him. The story ends by saying, "Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, praised God" (Luke 8:43).
It caused such a scene that the next day, Jesus attracted such a crowd in Jericho that a short-in-stature tax collector had to climb a sycamore tree just to lay eyes on Jesus.
Not only was Blind Bartimaeus determined to receive his healing, but once his eyes were opened, he committed to following Jesus.
A preacher told how one Sunday, he was asked to teach the sixth grade Sunday school class and was telling the students in vivid detail about the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. He told how the soldiers carried him away, how Pilate and the people conspired to have Jesus murdered. A hand went up, and a boy in the back said, "I want to know what happened to the rest of them. When things got rough for Jesus, where did they go?" "The disciples," the preacher asked. "They were long gone," he said. The little boy insisted, "No, the ones he healed. The ones he helped walk again and the ones he helped see. What happened to them?"
"I don't know," said the preacher. In a sarcastic tone, the little boy said, "Yeah, you do! They are like the rest of us. When we get what we want, we leave and go our way."
Maybe we do that, but not blind Bartimaeus. He had his eyes opened and followed Jesus. He was committed. He was once blind, but now he can see, and his new eyes are set on Jesus.
Some in the crowd seemed annoyed by this loud, blind man on the side of the road. Did people try to shut Bartimaeus up because they didn’t think he deserved to be healed? Probably. Maybe they think they are protecting Jesus. They are keeping away the riff-raff. Sinners were kept at a distance. It could be they felt that the man's condition was his fault and that he didn’t deserve Jesus's attention. Possibly.
In their ignorance of Jesus and his concern for the broken and hurting, they were putting a limit on the range of God’s mercy.
How many times do we do the same? We think we know what is best for a person, so we criticize their actions or try to justify our judgmental attitude toward their struggles.
Maybe we are part of the crowd and try to silence the hurting because we are convinced we know best. We impose our solutions on others without involving them in the process. We believe we know best because we see ourselves as more capable or knowledgeable. Silencing the voice of the hurting and forcing our selfish ways of solving problems creates co-dependency.
Jesus offers a better way. At first, his question to the blind man seems odd, “What do you want me to do for you?” Wasn’t it evident that Bartimaeus was blind and wanted to see again? Doesn’t it appear that his greatest need is his blindness? Why ask him what do you want me to do for you? It seems to be an odd question in the face of the obvious. But in asking the question, Jesus is doing something remarkable.
Often, our attempts to help others are based solely on our own perceptions of what a person needs. By asking the person what he wanted, Jesus gave him dignity and a voice in his own healing and showed us who are trying to help the importance of taking the time to understand the real needs of others.
Nothing or no one was going to keep blind Bartimaeus quiet. When the crowd tried to shut him down, he cried out louder. He knew who was walking by. He knew what the stranger on the road to Jericho could do. He knew that his miracle was in front of him. Although he was blind, his faith allowed him to see the potential.
His faith allowed him to see what others could not. He recognized that the man walking by was not just any stranger—He was the source of healing and could change his life forever. Bartimaeus saw the potential for transformation, not with his eyes but with his heart. His faith gave him a vision that transcended his circumstances.
In your journey, there will be times when the path ahead seems unclear, obstacles seem impossible, and you feel like you’re walking in the dark. But just like Bartimaeus, you have the power to see beyond the present moment. You can envision a future that is different from your current reality. Faith is not about ignoring the challenges but seeing the possibilities in their midst. It’s about believing in the power of what can be, even when what is seems overwhelming.
The key is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Before Bartimaeus can see, Jesus becomes the context for everything he will see. After his healing, Bartimaeus won’t be able to look upon anything without first thinking about the one who healed him.
When you see your lives through the lens of Jesus, you know the potential of resurrection in every situation. When you look at the ugly, fragile, broken world in which we live through the eyes of Jesus, you see the potential of resurrection.
What are the obstacles in your life that are keeping you from crying out to Jesus? What are the voices telling you to be quiet, give up, and settle for less than what God has for you?
Don’t let those voices silence you. Instead, cry out all the louder. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of your faith. Allow your faith to give you a vision that transcends your circumstances, and trust that the one who healed Bartimaeus is still at work today, ready to bring healing, restoration, and new life to you.
As you go into the week ahead, carry with you the faith of Bartimaeus—a faith that sees beyond the present moment, refuses to be silenced, and looks to Jesus in all things. Let your faith be your vision, guiding you through life's challenges and leading you to the abundant life that Christ offers.
Prayer:
We dedicate our lives to following You, Lord. Open our eyes to the possibilities faith can bring, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Give us the vision to see beyond our present circumstances, to recognize Your hand at work in our lives, and to trust in Your plan for us.
Help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith. May we live each day with the conviction that, through Christ, we can overcome any obstacle and experience the fullness of life that You desire for us.
As we go forth, let our faith be our vision, guiding us through our challenges and leading us to the abundant life You have promised. May we, like Bartimaeus, choose to follow You wholeheartedly, glorifying You in all that we do.
In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Benediction:
May the Lord bless you and keep you as you enter the world. May your eyes be opened to the possibilities of faith, seeing beyond your present circumstances to the hope and healing that only Christ can bring. Go with God's grace and peace in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.