The story of Bartimaeus is written in the New Testament book of Mark. This is a man who was blind from birth. He was rejected by the mainstream not only for the curse that overtook his life, but that he had to survive by the charity of others. He was a beggar – a strain on society – yet a man of faith who knew Jesus had the power to heal him. His story shows the power of faith and turning a life of rejection into one of restoration and renewal.

For many years, my father had longed for a son. He was a farmer. He needed some extra muscle to push through the soil and plant the seeds. After having fathered seven daughters, he was delighted to finally receive the boy he longed for. He named me Bartimaeus, because it meant highly prized. It soon became apparent that even though I was valued, I wasn’t complete. My eyes never witnessed the light of day. I never learned how to smile, because I never had the pleasure of seeing a smile. I couldn’t see the people as they walked in and out of the city gate, but I could hear them. I could feel their presence. I could smell the desert on them and the animals they tended. I could taste the occasional crust of bread offered, but I could not tell what they were thinking, but I could feel their repulsion. I was blind to both the good and bad.

When it was determined that my eyes could not see, my father’s joy quickly turned to sadness when he realized I would never really be the son he waited for. I was no longer prized or honored. I don’t think I ever was. As a young child I would hear him asking God what he had done to deserve this punishment. He grew more and more ashamed of my condition. I knew he loved me, but he felt I was a burden and there was nothing he could do to change that. When I was just a young teenager, I was disowned and placed at the gate to beg for my living. I was a beggar, one with a huge disability and certain to live a short life of poverty and disgrace. I never saw my father again.

It was a busy day in Jericho. People were chattering about a man named Jesus, the healer who freed people from their physical ailments. They said he was the promised Messiah – a messiah I had heard my father speak about in my early childhood. Years passed from those forgotten days. My life was one of humiliation. My eyes were shut, but I could still hear the voices and the witnesses who saw Jesus at work. I wondered, deep in my soul, if he would have time for me. I could only dream. I cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

Many of those in the crowd laughed and made snide remarks about my condition. They told me to be quiet and not to bother the master. I knew I was chasing the wind, but something happened in that short time. Jesus heard my voice. He turned and said to his men, “Call him.” His disciples told me to take heart and brought me to his presence. I threw off my dirty cloak. I had nothing of value to offer this man of peace, but he was willing to give me a moment of his time.  “What do you want me to do for you?” he said.

I asked to have my sight. Within seconds, a lifetime of blindness was overtaken by the light of the world. I didn’t deserve this special treatment, but this Jesus thought otherwise. My sight was clear and everything came to life for me at last. I was filled with joy for having my eyes opened. He gave me the gift of sight. All I did was ask.

The next time I saw Jesus was outside the gates of Jerusalem, as he carried a cross upon his bludgeoned body. Blood fell from his wounds. Sweat and spit tangled his hair and beard. He was on the way to Golgotha to be crucified as common criminal. I wished for a moment that I was blind again. I then realized, by the look in my Savior’s eyes, that he knew full well what he was doing. He was born for this – to carry our sins on his own back as a living sacrifice – to save us from the sting of death and gift us with eternal life. I was once blind, but now I see. God loved all of us so much that He gave His own Son to save us.