Bartimaeus was blind. He heard that Jesus was passing by and he cried out to him: “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me.” Read the story in Mark 10:46-52. Instead of helping him, the crowd who followed Jesus told him to keep quiet. They couldn’t help him, but they told him to be quiet.
A blind man needed help, instead of helping him, they wanted him to be silent, to remain where he had always been and continue to do what he had always done: beg them for help, be at their mercy, be their slave. Human nature is essentially evil. People are wicked in such a way you will never imagine.
You may not believe this but majority of people who know you do not want you to rise in life. They want you to keep asking them for help, to beg them for opportunity, to be at their mercy, so that they can continue to rule over you and make you their slave.
Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for help. They told him to shut up. People are wicked.
It is like Jeff Bezos is in town and asked to meet entrepreneurs. People who could help you be at that event refuse to help you gain access because they want to keep you poor.
People knew that the moment they helped Bartimaeus, they would lose control over him, he would no longer be their slave, so they told him to shut up and remain where he was: a beggar living in abject poverty. Few people really want to help you rise in life.
But Bartimaeus kept crying out to Jesus. He didn’t cry out to any man. He cried out to Jesus, who heard him and helped him. This is what the Lord wants you to know in this season. Do not cry out to man for help, rather cry out to Jesus and he will send you the help you need. Continue reading →