Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet, but they shouted even more loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!’ 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ 33 They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him”
Matthew 20:29-34.
I love this story. Two blind guys are hollering at Jesus over the noise of a crowd, hollering for Jesus to have mercy on them. This has always spoken to me about being careful not to judge others. The crowd judges these two blind men and “sternly ordered them to be quiet.” So let me ask you this: Is there anything more beautiful than someone asking Jesus for his mercy? I ask Jesus for His mercy multiple times every day! And I’m not kidding!
Look, it is easy to conclude that the mercy they were seeking from Jesus was that He would restore their sight! But I see room for a lot more than just a request for sight. Some thought at that time that blindness was a result of the anger or punishment of God. So I think the two blind men are looking for more than just sight, even though when Jesus asks them, “What do you want me to do for you?”, they respond, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
The reason I see this story as a request for more than sight are the last two words of the story: “Immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.’” Yes, I think their request for the mercy of Jesus was a heart-felt request that He would shower them with His love. The real miracle is not that their sight was restored but that their hearts were healed, healed of bitterness, depression, fear, and ridicule for being blind, healed as well from the constant din of the crowd who condemned them for asking for the mercy on God. None of us knows what it’s like living all your life blind. We have never walked in the moccasins of these two men.
So, once again, we need to step away from the crowd and not judge others.
We see only superficially and we are easily persuaded by the crowd, by the press, and social media. But these two guys wanted Jesus in their hearts. They wanted Jesus in their lives, and they were willing to ignore the crowd to ask Jesus for His life-giving love. And that’s why they followed Jesus! It wasn’t just because they could see, but it was because Jesus showed them that He heard their pleas, that He loved them, and that He was with them!
So for me this story is an invitation from God to show mercy on others with whom I may disagree. This story is an invitation from God to step away from the crowd and love everybody that crosses my path in life. When I see someone during the day I often ask God privately, “Bless them, Lord!” It helps me see others as god sees them, at least a tiny little bit.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” John 13:34.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law of God” Romans 13:8.
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”
1 Corinthians 13:13.
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins”
1 Peter 4:8.
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