Tag: sovereignty
Day 4–Jesus Respects Individuals
Scripture reading for January 15: Matthew 20:30-33 “And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them. telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us Son of David.” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
Jesus dealt with each person specifically in the manner needed to bring faith to results. As a Jewish rabbi, He often used questions to provoke faith in those in need. These blind men were sitting by the roadside, probably begging to meet their needs. Their usual request was for alms or sustenance to meet physical needs. The idea that their eyes could be opened again by any man or even God was probably not at the forefront of their thinking. But word of Jesus’ miracles of healing had reached their ears sparking faith to cry out to Him for His attention. The crowd rebuked them to be silent, marginalizing these blind men as unimportant to the rabbi Jesus.
Jesus took time to personally minister to them, asking them directly, “What do you want Me to do for you?” This respected their integrity and choices and treated them with dignity. They addressed Jesus as “Lord” and “Son of David”, which were respectful and full of faith in Jesus’ divinity. Jesus listened to their response to His question and in turn touched their eyes with great compassion. Scripture records that immediately they recovered their sight and followed Him. (Matthew 21:34)
As responders, treating each person with dignity and respect is vitally important. As a responder and chaplain, I always ask questions to find the need in each situation. If as a believer in Jesus, I feel that prayer is required, I always ask if this would be acceptable to the person. I try to stay calm and act in kindness and gentleness, reflecting the heart of Jesus. My goal is to inspire faith and meet the real needs of each unique person.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the kindness and respect You show even to those that have disrespected You. Help me daily to learn to ask questions and respect the sovereignty of the individuals You allow me to touch for You. Amen.