Economy of Mercy

A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight

³⁵ As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. ³⁶ When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. ³⁷ They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

³⁸ He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

³⁹ Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

⁴⁰ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

⁴² Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” ⁴³ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

This is the story of how I came to be.. I was this blind man sitting by the roadside begging, begging to be seen, appreciated, loved, valued, wanted, longed, desired, accepted... I find it extraordinary how he had to ask what was happening because he couldn't see with his own eyes. He must have heard the crowd going crazy and wondered what all the fuss was about? When they told him that "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by" (vs 37) he called out to Jesus to "have mercy on him"... but the people rebuked him and told him to be quiet? like really? he called out to Jesus and the people told him to HUSH! wth! but he could have cared less.. I love that about this blind man, he called out even louder! It says he, "shouted all the more, 'Son of David, HAVE MERCY ON ME!'" (vs39) that is just amazing because Jesus heard, he stopped and ordered his men to bring this man to him. I love that Jesus had asked the blind man what he wanted him to do for him? Like, Jesus, the man is blind! haha. I love that about Jesus, how he always asks us what we want him to do for us. Obviously the blind man wanted to see like he replies in that same verse when Jesus asks him. Amazing how Jesus always refers back to our faith, the blind man's FAITH healed him just as my FAITH had healed me and opened my eyes to see Jesus. IMMEDIATELY Jesus healed him, restored his sight and this man, "followed Jesus, praising God" (vs43) but what gets me is the last verse, "When all the people saw it, they also praised God." I know for a fact that my life's transformation is because of what Jesus had done for me. He looked at me, he healed me, he restored my sight and he brought me life because He IS LIFE! And what I know for a fact is that when people see the message of the gospel being alive within my life I know that they, too, praise God at the reality of Jesus' redemption being laid out before them through the testimony of how I came to be. AMAZING! truly, amazed.

-Live Productively