What do you want me to do for you?

“As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a large crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and to say, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me’. And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me’. Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him here’. So they called the blind man. ‘Courage,’ they said ‘get up; he is calling you’. So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus. Then Jesus spoke, ‘what do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Rabbuni,’ the blind man said to him, ‘Master, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has saved you.’ And immediately his sight returned and he followed him along the road.” (Mark 10:46-52)

This has got to be one of the most exciting and dynamic passages I have read for ages. There is so much in it for each of us, individually, that it is hard to know where to begin. As in all passages of the Gospel, we are in there somehow, and in this passage we are both the blind beggar and members of the crowd.

An opportunity!

I wonder how long Bartimaeus had been sitting by the side of the road begging. A life-time? He must have heard something of the reputation which this man Jesus was acquiring: a man who heals the sick, raises the dead and who gives sight to the blind. He hears a large crowd approaching and must have sensed something more exciting than usual going on … can Jesus of Nazareth be amongst the crowd? When someone in the crowd says that, yes, Jesus is here, he sees it as his chance for a personal encounter with him. He just has a feeling that this man, Jesus, born in the line of David, has great powers to do great things and that this is a real opportunity for him. He leaps at this opportunity and keeps calling out in order to catch his attention.

Where am I in this scene?
· I have heard of Jesus, and I know his reputation
· What is his reputation? … is it true?
· How have I responded to his reputation; do I really believe that he can do all things for me?
· Do I leap at opportunities of encountering him?
· In what ways am I passing up or disregarding opportunities?

Have pity!

Bartimaeus first calls out to him “Son of David!” – an affirmation of the importance of his birth, but not quite the affirmation of Jesus’ authority which comes later in the passage. But, his shouting is really irritating the crowd who turn on him to scold him, telling him to keep quiet. His anxiety that he was going to be shouted down by the crowd and overlooked by Jesus must have been awful: are they going to stop me approaching Jesus? Will he hear me? This is my last chance – I may never be this close to Jesus ever again. So Bartimaeus shouts all the louder … “Son of David, have pity on me!” These words have resounded down through the centuries by so many millions: have pity on me.

· Do I stand in need of Jesus’ pity?
· I do, because I am human: I am weak and easily tempted.
· I look at my past and can see that I stand in need of forgiveness.
· O Lord, hear my voice over the din of life’s distractions and …have pity on me!

Jesus calls him

Suddenly, Jesus stops in his tracks. The crowd stops. “Call him here” Jesus says and, all of a sudden, the fawning crowd whose attitude to the beggar had been so dismissive, changes. This beggar has been a wretched nuisance for years; we have been tripping and falling over him and, truth to tell, he is a bit of a pain. However, Jesus wants to see him – he has singled him out – perhaps our attitude has been wrong. We are very impressed by this man Jesus, so we had better comply with him and help the beggar to his feet and to Jesus.

Am I Bartimaeus in this scene?
· Bartimaeus beckons and Jesus responds: do I actively beckon to Jesus?
· Do I call out to him full of faith that he will hear and respond?
· I may, at times, feel lonely, but Jesus’ friends are around me and keen to help

Or, perhaps, the crowd?
· I need to be aware of those around me who are crying out for God
· How can I help?
· By being more open and sharing my faith with them?
· By praying for them?
· Who are the people I am tripping over and finding a nuisance?
· Should I be helping them?

Unhinder yourself

The beggar gets up and throws off his cloak. This is very symbolic of throwing off his old self: getting rid of unnecessary baggage which may hinder his journey towards Jesus.

· What are the obstacles in my relationship with Jesus?
· What baggage is Jesus asking me to get rid of in my journey towards him?

What do you need?

The beggar approaches Jesus and is rewarded with this exquisitely beautiful question: “What do you want me to do for you?”.

Just imagine yourself, for a moment, into this scene and that it is you – just as you are – standing in front of Jesus – such a warm and loving person, a man of healing, truth and power, and he asks you … what do you want me to do for you? This question is a deeply moving one as we think of all the things we want Jesus to do for us. I think of the many people for whom I am praying: my family, those who are sick or anxious and so very much more. Where shall I stop? The blind man must have been struggling … what shall I ask of him? Shall I ask for a job … a home? … an easier life?

His eventual and only response is … “Rabbuni!” or “Master!”, words which affirm that Jesus really is his Master and can do all things for him. In this knowledge and having affirmed, publicly who Jesus is, he then says “Please, let me see again”.

The amazing thing about Jesus’ question is that he even asks it at all – doesn’t he know everything before it is even on our tongue? Doesn’t he know everything we need? There is a purpose to his question: he intended that it should be recorded and that all who would read the Gospels in the future should come across it and be prompted to think: “What do I want Jesus to do for me?”

The blind man’s response reflects what should be not only our own deepest personal request of the Lord but, indeed, the whole of humanity: “Master, let me see!” “Let me see the wonderful ways in which you bless me every day, let me see the suffering and pain of those in need, let me see your beauty in those I prefer to dislike, let me see your glory all around me in the beauty of creation, let me see the ways in which we can work for greater justice and peace in the world, let me see myself as you see me, let me see your will for me….”

Go, your faith has saved you

In his exclamation “Master!”, Bartimaeus is filled with the knowledge of the Truth of who Jesus is: he is the Son of God. It was not his plea of “let me see again” which brought about the restoration of his sight, but his acknowledgement of who Jesus was, an acknowledgement affirmed by Jesus, “Go, your faith has saved you”.

He followed him

Bartimaeus’ encounter with Jesus achieved two things: it deepened his faith and brought about a newness of sight, a newness of sight which led to his desire to follow Jesus. This is why we must make every effort to encounter Jesus in our own lives. We need him to deepen our own faith that we, too, might be granted newness of sight and a greater desire to be a follower of Jesus.

Jesus question “What do you want me to do for you?” is at the heart of Jesus’ relationship with us: he walks with us all day long, whispering this very question into our hearts … “what do you want me to do for you?”, an invitation to allow him into every aspect and moment of our lives.