Mark 10:49 | An Invitation to Dignity
Mark 10:49 ESV says, “And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.’”
I wonder if the blind man in this story had any idea of what he would encounter next. I’m sure, at the very least, he longed for recognition and help. Perhaps he was hoping to receive a blessing or a prayer. Maybe he had a gut feeling that something miraculous would happen.
I don’t want to read into the story too much, but I imagine there must have been mixed feelings inside the blind man’s heart during this interaction. Maybe you remember this story. He was calling out repeatedly, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” while the disciples rebuked him and tried to get him out of the way.
It was only when Jesus heard the cry that he stopped to talk with the man. I wonder if this came as an utter shock to the blind man. He might have been so desperate that he was willing to interrupt and disturb everyone around him even though he probably would have been rejected.
I find it odd then that Jesus says in verse 51, “What do you want me to do for you?” It wasn’t uncommon for Jesus to actively heal without an invitation. He often told people their hidden secrets, so it wasn’t for lack of knowledge that Jesus asked this question.
I believe he was showing the blind man that even he has access to God. I recall what Jesus taught in John 14:13-14 ESV: "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
How far does this invitation go? It extends to the lowliest outcasts of society. Standing before the blind beggar, Jesus honors the man by allowing him to make his request before God. Can you see that the fact that Jesus even listened shows unprecedented mercy and honor?
The beggar was crying out for mercy—for a chance to get into the door of the king’s palace. Jesus turned and gave him the dignity of a kingdom citizen.
I wonder where in your life you are calling out to God from the position of a beggar. Perhaps you feel so unworthy of God’s attention, yet so desperate for healing, that you find yourself on the outskirts of the kingdom praying, “God, just help me!” Could you hear the invitation of the son saying, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Recognize that this invitation gives dignity to those who hear it. While we don’t deserve it, God extends mercy because he promised us, saying in Romans 9:15 ESV, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Tell God what you need today. He hears your call for mercy and is listening to your requests.
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