‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Mark 10:51, Jesus asked Bartimaeus. This was actually a loaded question because He knew that when He gave healing and sight was restored, the man’s life would never be the same again. No longer would he be dependent on others. In the future he wouldn’t be receiving coins to keep him going, he would have to work for a living. He wouldn’t be an object of pity but would be responsible and active in society.
It’s interesting to note that the blind man ‘threw his cloak aside.’ His symbol of being a beggar was no longer needed. He would now be a respectable citizen and not a beggar. He moved from being dependent to being independent. There would be future calls upon his status in society.
When we go from blindness of the heart to the sight of redemption, when we move from darkness to light, everything about our life will change. We’re no longer our own, we’re answerable to God. No longer can we steal, cheat or lie, even slightly. Our standards are different.There are no excuses for our sin; we can’t continue in our selfishness, we have a responsibility to others. We have been shown forgiveness, this forgiveness needs to be passed on to others. As well as receiving help, we now need to give help to others. We become fledgling missionaries, the Good News can’t be kept to ourselves as we follow in the steps of so many before us.
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