36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.
37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
38 He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him,
41 "What do you want me to do for you?""Lord, I want to see," he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."
43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Luke 18: 35-43 NIV
Looks like it is that time again. On my heart lays a burden. A very familiar one that I have come to know as if it were an old friend. My heart aches for the Church. The bride that seems to have lost her way to the altar and has thus far left the groom standing. Above, you read a very well used story from Luke.
It is the story of the blind beggar that called out to Jesus as he passed by.
Many times it is taught as a reminder of perseverance, dedication and faith in the Lord. It is taught as a motivator. An under dog story of a man that was in need and was willing to go against the odds to get the help he needed from the only one that could help him, Jesus Christ.
But I do not want to talk to you about the blind man. I do not want to talk to you about Jesus rewarding faith. I want to talk to you about The blind man's handlers. Those that led the way for Jesus and cleared the path for the master. Those that made sure the Lord had a place to walk and that everyone knew He was coming. They were the ones that were responsible for the safety and security of the most important man in history, the very Son of God. What an awesome responsibility they had. The were to lead the way into crowds so that Jesus could get to a place where He could speak to them. Or so that Jesus could get food, lodging or anywhere else He may have needed to go. They were charged with making sure Jesus got from point A to point B. I guess you could call these men Jesus' secrete service or security team. They were disciples and faithful followers that knew where Jesus was going. They were to clear the path so he could get there.
In today's world celebrities are mobbed by paparatizi, fans, stalkers and people that are curious to see what a famous person is "really like". It was not so much different in the time of Jesus. People still wanted to see this miracle man named Jesus. That man that claimed to be divine. People wanted to know who He was and what He was "really like".
I can't blame them. I would have been in that crowd that pressed in to get a better view of the man that claimed to be the Son of God. So sat the blind man, hearing but not seeing. Asking questions to fill in the gaps of understanding. Doing nothing particularly wrong, just being curious like everyone else. Once he realized what was going on, he realized he had a once in a lifetime opportunity to be healed. He had the faith, he just needed to be give the word. So he cried out for Jesus. The leaders rebuked him, scolded him and told him to shut up.
Oh, come on, Jesus, the son of God, The Word made Flesh was trying to be about His father's business and this blind guy was giving him a hard time and trying to bring the whole well oiled machine to a halt just because he was blind and wanted to be more special than all the other people calling out for Jesus that day. Who does this guy think he is? Why should he be more important that anyone or anything else. So the leaders, the security team, the faithful followers of Jesus Christ told him to "Shut Up!
Ever felt like the blind man? Have you ever had a church leader, those that are called of God to show a group of people the path to a better relationship with God, but you felt he wasn't listening? Please do not misunderstand me. I am not attempting to say that ALL leaders are poor or even that most or not compassionate. My focus is on the instances where a leader, who carries the great weight of leading others, being responsible for those that follow their example, teachings and works. That is a huge and awesome responsibility. One that weighs heavily on the mind and heart of those called to lead. BUT, due to that weight, that constant pressure to be the best at all times, we, being human, sometime make mistakes.
We make an offhand comments, a joke that is taken the wrong way or in some cases a misjudgment that in retrospect was not the right thing to do. Much like the leaders mentioned in Luke. They told the man to be quiet and leave the master alone. They were honestly doing their job. They were doing what they thought was right. But like my grand mother used to say, "A moment on the tongue could be a life time in the heart." Take care what you say. They got a little carried away and missed the fact that Jesus was sent to this Earth to help the faithful. To heal men just like the blind beggar. That the heart of God is moved by Faith.
These were not bad men. Just like some of the leaders of churches and groups are not bad people, just because they make a mistake. We are human. We get stressed, we get busy, we go on auto-pilot and just do the job without thinking about every move we make. We all do that from time to time. But when you are a leader, those small mistakes, those indiscretions or "shoot from the hip" comments become huge issues when they are magnified by the number of people it affects. Here is a mathematical analogy: lets say that an everyday person said to the beggar to be quiet. No one hears that but the average Joe and the blind man, the issue is only two times its original impact. But a leader, a person in the spotlight and known to be associated with someone very famous and important makes that comment and it goes from a simple comment to a big failure on the part of the leader because it is multiplied by EVERY person that heard the actual comment or heard about the comment being made. It starts a chain reaction that will continue to multiply with each retellingof the story. One comment causing hundreds of repercussions. So the leaders have to be very careful what they do.
And we as followers have to remember that they are just human beings. The blind man kept crying out for Jesus. Notice that he did NOT argue with the leader. he did not rebuke the leader back. He just stayed focused on Jesus and not on the man that was leading the way. He allowed the leader a mistake. Have you ever allowed your leaders a mistake? A free mulligan. A chance to NOT be hammered for human error? We could learn a lot from that blind man, and not just lesson on faith and perseverance. But on forgiveness and patience for those that carry the weight of the Gospel.
We could learn something from the those that led the way. Think before we act. Not everything is a simple act of duty. We are humans and individuals, lets treat each person individually and like a human being with emotions and feeling and a calling all their own. And of course we could learn from a simple yet profound lesson from Jesus. When He called out to the man, He did not rebuke either parties. He just did the work His father had called Him to do and rewarded true faith and then went back on His way. Sometime we just need to do the job and not focus on who made a mistake or who was right. In the end all that matters is that the work of God be done on the earth and it be done by the tools (US) that he has placed here for HIS purpose.
Father,
Humble our hearts, open us up to your wisdom. Let YOUR word flow in us. Speak to us as we walk this world. Let us be the light set on a hill. Let it not be the focus of our life to watch who places the light, who tends the light, who covers the light: just that the light is shining as a reflection of the love you have for us and those around us. Let us walk in the light, as you are in the light and let us not stop to see what the shadows may hold.
Amen
1 comment:
A very good lesson. :o)
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