In the Gospels one miracle Jesus carries out multiple times is that of curing the blind. It makes sense because we have all had times when we have needed someone else to open our eyes to something we cannot see on our own. Maybe it’s (in love) pointing out a bad habit or how you always mispronounce a word—things you would never if it hadn’t been brought to your attention.
One example is found in Mark 10, when Jesus heals Blind Bartimaeus. Jesus, his disciples, and a large crowd were traveling through Jericho. As they were leaving a beggar calls from the side of the road, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47). Depending on how long the crowd had been with Jesus, they had probably seen him do any number of miracles at this point. However, when this blind beggar called out for help, Mark tells us, “many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.”
We don’t know why they rebuked him, my guess is that it had become almost instinct to ignore and shout down someone in such a low position. How many times have you not even heard what a homeless person said before you lied about not having any cash? Thankfully this blind beggar was undaunted by the people shouting him down, “he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Bartimaeus just wanted to get closer to Jesus because he knew that Jesus could save him from the fate of being lost and blind. In this time there was no braille and no ADA, if you lost your sight it was up to your family to care for you, and if they didn’t have the means you were on the street as a blind beggar. Jesus was his only hope.
Jesus hears him and calls him over, Bartimaeus springs up, makes his way to Jesus, and says, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” Jesus replies, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Rather than shout down a beggar asking for help Jesus interrupts his travel to help him. How different would the world be if Christians took seriously the example of Christ. We may not be able to heal the blind with a word, nevertheless we are able to interrupt our day to see and spend time with another human being.