Cry of the beggar

Mark 10:48-49 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”

Bartimaeus was a blind beggar.  His trade was dictated by his physical state; there was no program to help the poor and afflicted in Roman-occupied first century Israel.  As part of the beggar-underclass of people, he was very used to raising his voice for alms and any mercy that he could get to come his way.

There’s also little doubt that Bart knew about Jesus – one who didn’t just give alms but who healed blindness itself.  If that could happen, his entire life would change radically.  He could be a productive person.  It’s hard to consider all the possibilities and plans he had imagined for his entire life that could transpire if he could only see.

But when he raised his voice, calling on the “Son of David” – a well-known name for Messiah, that those around him thought he was only begging as usual.  They told him to be silent, thinking perhaps that common beggars had no business involving Jesus.  Begging was not his intent, though, and their chiding and squelching his voice had the net effect of keeping him blind and poor.  Their pushing him out of the way was oppressive and cruel.

Jesus stopped and would ask him what he wanted.  Bart could’ve asked for great riches, to have his calluses healed or anything else.  He asked to see.  And see he did.

Do I

1. Assert myself when I have a real need only Jesus can meet?  Bartimaeus gave voice to the yearning of his heart and would not be silenced.  Do I do that, or slink back into a beggarly life of want?  Can the voices of others, perhaps bothered by my very presence, shout me down and scoff me underfoot?  Hear the (perhaps annoying) cry of the poor man, O my soul!  Do not be silenced!
2. Find my myself among the annoyed, insisting the loud beggar cease his/her rantings?  For sure there is dysfunctional entitlement.  But there is also a need to be heard and listened to.  Do I listen?  Do I pause to hear the stories of the poor one?  Or do I instead call his/her voice a distracting bother, with no substance behind the noise that fills my ears?  O my soul, learn to listen, for the stories you’ll hear will inform all mercy and wisdom.

So be it.

Abandonment and loneliness

𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝟮𝟲:𝟯𝟴‭ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺, “𝗠𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵; 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲.”

…

𝟰𝟬 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿, “𝗦𝗼, 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿?”

Jesus’ request of Peter, James and John was both for their benefit and his. He appealed to their overcoming future temptation – a good reason for prayer for anyone. But Jesus also wanted their company because of the personal ordeal he knew was coming. He wanted his friends to keep vigil with him.

Surely, being abandoned was part of Jesus’ suffering. On the cross he later quoted David’s psalm, saying “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). Anyone who has suffered knows that having someone present can make a big difference. It was part of the reason the writer of Hebrews would say that believers do not have a High Priest who’s unable to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

“Abandonment issues” stem from parental negligence. A person with a pattern of being left alone – by people whose role and job it is to be there for them – is very sensitive to any situation where s/he lacks company when it’s needed or desired. Yet, this is a situation where Jesus can provide company, for he knows what it’s like. It’s unavoidable to feel abandoned at some point – there are things we must go through alone.

Providing companionship for the suffering – aka the ministry of presence – is a powerful testimony to the presence of God. May I listen to God’s voice and provide that when prompted, knowing just being there speaks love.

And should I find myself in an abandoned or even lonely state, let me know Jesus went before me and will NEVER abandon me through the Holy Spirit. His grace is sufficient.

Cornerstones and fruit

Matthew 21:42-43 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.”

Jesus is the cornerstone – the block of solid rock that the entire building is built upon.  The cornerstone not only bears the weight of the entire structure, its position and shape determine the building’s design.  There is no building without it.

Jesus was pointing to himself, saying that his life and teaching were foundational for the building of faith and that the leadership of Israel, in rejecting him, was turning down their own invitation to salvation and new life.  God had brought the cornerstone to them, but they rejected it for all the wrong reasons.  Jesus’ announcement that the kingdom of God would go to those producing its fruits was judgment on the hypocritical practices of the teachers of the Law and Pharisees.  They were NOT producing its fruits.

What are the fruits of the Kingdom, then?  Are these?

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

… or is there no such list but rather observable behavior in word and deed that expresses God’s Kingdom?  Indeed, the Galatians list has output – supernatural action that marks the presence of Jesus.  This is the house God builds upon His chosen cornerstone.  We, the followers of Christ, are the building he constructs.

Let me listen, then, to His voice and act according to His prompting.  For He is good and his steadfast love endures forever.

Glorious discipline

Scripture:

Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

Observation:

The struggle here is against sin – the one that clings so closely (v 1). This verse answers a question that is not often answered in the Bible, or life – why? And the answer is God’s fatherly love. “He loves us just the way we are but loves us WAY too much to leave us that way.” This reasoning cancels all pity parties, takes down anger and bitterness and puts a loving relationship in their place. Since God’s purpose in discipline (lit. “scourging”) is our correction, it is always a valid question to ask “What are You trying to teach me?”, because there is always an eternal, beneficial answer. But it is universally a humbling truth God wants to impart, so the child of God should never expect to be puffed up by what is learned though s/he will be warmed with love.

Application:

What’s my hardship? I should not compare it to that of any other, for the lesson I am to learn is an individual one. What is that lesson? It is definitely NOT one of my having it all together or being in the right. I need to remember it’s not just any sin being confronted – it is my central sin. And I need to know that it dies hard. So I need to stop building alliances with whom to commiserate. For they will take me down thought paths that doubt even God’s existence, call what I do masochistic (or worse) and humiliate my faith that sees good coming from evil. Indeed, it was the most evil act perpetrated by humankind that won my salvation. So then, I must stop considering myself as anything more than a sinner saved by grace and anything less than God’s beloved child. My difficult circumstances, unfair treatment and times of unmet want and need all prove I am no orphan. And God scourges those he loves.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for this reminder of why I am where I am and why I go through the hard times. Truly, You have crafted them for my righteousness. Grant that I might yield to Your will, see the glorious outcome and walk free of angst. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Important caveat:

The victim of abuse, no matter the gender or situation, must hear a different application.  This is not, and will never be, a call to simply bear with a more redemptive attitude the blows of a bully.  In those cases, the very lesson to be learned is to see yourself as God sees you, to learn your intrinsic and precious worth and take emotional and physical steps to affirm that worth – i.e. after seeking counsel and prayer, get out.  There are infinite variants of situations though, and there is no hard rule or measurement for when to do what.  God takes no pleasure in the suffering of His child; a bully does.  Let THAT be the distinction.

Big hand, little hand

Scripture:

Psalm 31:14-15 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, ” You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.

Observation:

Constant conflict. Attack from every side and from those hostile David and his life of faith. Rumors delighting in his demise. A jaded, slandered reputation. This is the context of Psalm 31. Yet David bolsters himself in his trust of God, saying (to himself and God) “You are my God.” He realizes God’s sovereignty – “your hand” as that which governs all events as well as their timing, no matter how it looks. For contrasting the sure hand of God is the attacking, scheming enemy – the one with the smaller hand who would seize him to make him captive, then slap him around, shame and destroy him. David does not despair at the onslaught, nor ask why God is allowing it. He simply keeps God in His rightful place – at the top of all history, personal and global. And in that position, deliverance is assured. It’s only a matter of time.

Application:

What do I “say” when I’m under attack? My faith is mocked regularly, even by those close to me. Do I try to defend myself or fall upon God’s strength and my saving relationship with Him? Do I trust God as Master of my situations or am I terrified by the deadlines and demands of the world? This is neither a call nor an excuse for irresponsibility but one of rededicating my times to God. His hand is able to move in my life when the hand of the enemy would try to silence me and scare me out of my faith. Those without godly faith must mock those with it. The shame they hide (and I used to have such shame) cannot even be acknowledged for adopting faith would completely change their lives, which is more terrifying than any guilt of abusing the faith-filled. So their jokes, digs and taunts are just background noise amidst God’s ultimate and overwhelming purpose.

Prayer:

Father, grant that I might have David’s response in the midst of the turmoil. Grant me eyes to see You and that which You will accomplish in me, no matter what the trial. In Jesus’ name, amen.