Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho

 “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

A blind and a beggar, on the road to Jerusalem, Bartimaeus was definitely there by plan, i.e. that was the pilgrim’s path to Jerusalem, and he could get good alms, sitting in this place. He like anyone else, must have heard the whispers going around of Jesus the Nazarite. Heard of all the miracles that Jesus was doing, but did he believe in the conventional sense, its hard to decide.

Belief is what you believe and live. And Bartimaeus having all the stories of Jesus and the talk that he might be the Messiah, took the first step towards belief. Ironically this first step that he took is an indictment/a pointing of finger of all the blinds in the world, me included. Because Bartimaeus probably reasoned with himself regarding all the things he had heard, and how these could not be possible by a mere conventional Jew. There was no alternate possibility that this Nazarite was the Messiah. Full Stop! If He is the Messiah, then he, Bartimaeus can ask, and unashamedly He ask’s/cries, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” This was his first step of faith – acting on what he could not deny – i.e. accepting the irrevocable truth.

We are riddled with problems, and we have been blessed with knowledge and understanding, about Jesus and the Truth. We know the solution is Jesus and our full surrender to His Mercy. Yet we hold back because of fear, doubt etc, and ignore the eternal Truth that has been placed before us. Bartimaeus was not blind, we are, if we do not accept this eternal gift of life – Jesus, and invite Him into our life and heart.