Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus

         Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48)

He was known to all as “Blind Bartimaeus.” Although the great multitude following Jesus had constantly seen how He had compassion on the sick, they showed a lack of mercy when they warned Bartimaeus to be quiet. They had been blessed with physical eyesight to witness miracles of healing, yet stood in the way of Bartimaeus receiving his sight. If we had been in his place, we probably would have felt frustrated—not only by others, but also by our own helplessness.

However, Bartimaeus cried out not once but all the more, despite their warnings. Furthermore, it was not just one person politely telling him to be quiet but many, likely without reservation! Under such circumstances, it would have been natural for any person to shrink back by reason of timidity, insecurity, or even shame—but Bartimaeus did not.

We often focus on Bartimaeus’ persistence and explain that that is why Jesus had compassion on him. However, persistence was not all that Jesus saw; Jesus also saw how he had been slighted and treated unjustly by others. And Jesus saw that, despite all these things, Bartimaeus’ spiritual eyes were completely fixed on Him.

         Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

If Bartimaeus had been negatively influenced by the people’s words, he might have believed that he was undeserving of God’s grace and walked away without ever receiving his sight. Even if he had received his sight but focused on the people, he might have felt bitter towards them and been tempted to leave afterwards. But because his focus was in the right place, he immediately followed Jesus on the road and continued following Him.

There are many people who follow Jesus with us today and may inadvertently discourage us along the way. But if we allow ourselves to be affected, even to the point of giving up on our faith, we will miss out on a beautiful walk with Jesus on the road. On the other hand, if we persevere and fix our eyes on Jesus, then we will receive all the mercy, healing, and strength that we need to continue following Him in our journey of faith.

Reflection Questions

1.     When we serve God, do we tend to focus on people or God Himself?

2.     How can we draw strength from God when we feel discouraged or undeserving of His grace?