Mark 10:47-48 NLT
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus of Nazareth was nearby, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him.
The Jericho crowd may have seen Bartimaeus as insignificant, just another beggar with no social standing. But Jesus sees him as someone worthy of attention. He stops and calls for Bartimaeus to come to Him, asking, “What do you want me to do for you?” This question is not just about physical healing; it is an invitation for Bartimaeus to express his need and his faith.
Jesus’ actions show that He values individuals not for their social status, appearance, or circumstances, but for their inherent worth as people created in God’s image. By stopping for Bartimaeus, Jesus challenges the crowd’s assumptions, teaching that even those marginalized by society have great significance in God’s eyes. Jesus heals Bartimaeus, not only restoring his sight but affirming his dignity and worth. In the kingdom of God, there are no “insignificant” people; each person is seen and valued by Jesus.
Mark 10:49 (NLT):
When Jesus heard him, he stopped…
What do you think caused Jesus to react to this blind man as he did?
1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT):
“The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Peter 5:5–7 (ESV):
”God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
In the preceding story, the disciples come to Jesus with pride, wanting him to grant their request to sit at his right and left. Jesus doesn’t want to hear it. “You don’t know what you’re asking,” he says to them. Yet, when Bartimaeus calls out, Jesus responds willingly. What is the difference?
Look at the verse below. It is the judgment day pronouncement for the sheep. What is my responsibility to the “Bartimaeus-like” people around me?
Matthew 25:40 (ESV):
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Have you felt significant or overlooked yourself? What does Jesus say about that in the verse below?
Luke 12:6–7 (NLT):
What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.