46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
- Mark 10:46-52
The Bible can be really confusing and hard to understand at times. It's full of parables, metaphors and ideas that even theologians argue over what they mean. However, this story of Bartimaeus and Jesus healing his sight might be one of the clearest examples of what faith should look like in our lives. It showcases here three core ideas of what faith in Jesus is: simple, action-based and consistent.
Our faith is simple. It's not about following complex rules, understanding confusing theology, or knowing the answer to every question regarding Christianity. It's the simple idea that if we firmly believe that Jesus came and died to forgive us of our sins, we can have eternal life with Him in heaven. That's it. Our salvation falls solely on our belief, or faith, in Jesus. You see that simplicity in this passage, first by just how short the entire thing is. Bartimaeus is able to show Jesus his faith through a couple of exchanges and Jesus rewards him by telling him, "your faith has healed you", most likely referring to both his blindness and salvation. Also to proclaim his faith Bartimaeus simply shouts short phrases asking for Jesus' mercy and healing power. He didn't know eloquent prayers, or worship songs but he was still able to proclaim his faith in Jesus, because it's simple.
Another key aspect of faith Bartimaeus shows here is an action step. It's one thing to proclaim you believe in Jesus, but do your actions reflect that belief? It does for Bartimaeus. The action of throwing his cloak aside, jumping to his feet and coming to Jesus demonstrates his faith. What good would Batimaeus shouting for Jesus' mercy be if he didn't get up and go to Jesus when called? Action on faith in our lives looks like living our life the way Jesus intended us to. The first step is believing in Jesus, but then you need to try to make how you live your everyday life reflect that as well. We aren't perfect, we're going to mess up, but it's the constant effort to live lives pleasing to God that shows our faith in Him.
Speaking of constant efforts, that's the third idea of faith that Bartimaeus shows: consistency. He was a blind man begging. He was in a tough place in his life, and an even worse place on the societal ladder. Yet when he heard it was Jesus that was coming he cried out to him and did not stop even when the crowds told him not to. It didn't matter his situation or what people thought of him, nothing was going to stop him from proclaiming his faith, it was constant. Our faith needs to look like that too. Whether we're going through a tough part of our lives or the people around us disagree with what we believe in, our faith needs to hold strong. We need to believe that our relationship with Jesus is more important than what anyone thinks of us, and that He ultimately will bring us full satisfaction and healing like he did for Bartimaeus.
Take this passage to reflect on your own faith and relationship with Jesus. Is your faith simple and childlike? Or do you over-complicate and overthink it all? Do your actions reflect living a life pleasing to Jesus? Or is there a disconnect between your inward beliefs and outward actions? Is your faith consistent, holding strong through anything? Or does it falter depending on the situation you're in? Reflect on it, never forgetting about God's grace while not undermining what it means to be a follower of Christ.
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