“…Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him’…” Mk. 10:46-52 (v.48-49 quoted here)

Many years ago, while serving the Lord and others in Indonesia, our family was invited to an outdoor gathering hosted by a wealthy couple on their property. In that culture, as in the culture of the Bible, everyone knew who deserved attention and preeminence. Even in more egalitarian cultures, such as my own American one, people still rank each other’s worthiness of attention according to defined status in that subculture as well as overall culture. For example, in companies, the boss gets heeded more than the lowest-position employees. In schools, kids listen to the most popular members of their class and ignore the lonely “nerds”. It’s human nature to respect those with higher status more than those with lower.

Guess who had more status at that barbecue banquet—the hostess or one of the servant’s children? At one point during the gathering, one such child was telling me a story when the school principal (also American) called out to me saying, “Mrs. B. (the hostess) wants to talk to you!” I replied, “I’ll be there in a minute!” and kept listening until the child finished their story! This didn’t go over well with either the principal or the hostess or others who noticed it!

I’m not Jesus, nor does my status or popularity come anywhere near that ascribed to Him during the height of His miracle-working days and many followers thronging to Him. But, looking back, I think Jesus would’ve done the same thing I did at that gathering.

At least that’s what Bartimaeus was counting on when he kept “getting out of line” shouting out to Jesus to get His attention in the middle of a crowd. If he’d been a high-ranking Pharisee, synagogue ruler, wealthy merchant, anyone significant in society, people wouldn’t have minded him disturbing the procession of Jesus, His followers, and others swarming around Him. He had places to go and people to see. Who dares get in the way of that? Certainly not a blind beggar—double onus on him, especially in a culture that equated disabilities and poverty with being sinful and out of favor with God!

What made Bartimaeus have the audacity to call out and keep calling out, despite the rebukes and opposition based on societal protocol? Surely, he must have known he’d get in trouble and possibly lose the sympathy and support of those who gave alms to him. People could excuse his forgetting his “place” in the excitement of the moment, but after being “shushhhed” he should’ve remembered both his place and his manners! Or so those would think who go by worldly standards of place and manners.

But Bartimaeus knew Jesus operated by a different standard. He knew that if he kept calling out, Jesus would consider him worth His time, attention, and response. Bartimaeus knew Jesus well enough to have the courage to call out, keep calling out regardless of risk and rebuke, and ask directly for what he needed.

Notice what happened as a result: Jesus called him over. When He did, Bartimaeus, “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” For us, this may not sound like much, but for a blind beggar, it meant casting aside what gave him protection and security (his cloak), and risking failure and falling by jumping and walking, perhaps running, without assistance, all the way to Jesus. His faith overcame his fear.

This put him in a position to hear Jesus ask him what he wanted, which Bartimaeus told Him without hesitation or shame. “’Rabbi, I want to see!’” (Mk 10:51) And he got what he asked for. “Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (Mk. 10:52)

We may not be blind, we may not be beggars, but many of us feel unworthy to disturb Jesus while He’s running the universe and taking care of “bigger” things and people. Yet, Jesus doesn’t think like we or the world think about worthiness. He invites us, as He did Bartimaeus, to come to Him and ask for whatever we need. No matter our status, our past, the risks, the rebukes, the ridicule, the uncertainties. Whether it’s healing of any kind, provision, wisdom, strength, don’t be afraid to ask.

He’ll hear us. He’ll heed us, as long as we’re not cherishing sin in our hearts but confessing it (Ps. 66:18), and He won’t discriminate against us or put us off in favor of “better, more important” people. Keep calling, keep asking, keep following Him.