Then Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?'
Jesus has come upon a blind beggar, one of the lowest classes of people Jesus would have encountered. The man first recognizes that Jesus is walking by, and calls out to him, only to be told to quiet down by those around. This silencing could have been because the others were embarrassed by this low-life beggar, or because they wanted to keep Jesus to themselves. In either case, the action of the crowds is rotten.
But the blind beggar is not dissuaded. He cries out even louder. Finally, Jesus comes near, and asks him what he wants. This strikes me as a very interesting statement. Even I, a mere mortal, could take a good guess about what the man wants. He wants his troubles alleviated. I’m guessing God-incarnate either knew or could have known. This is the same Jesus who frequently knew what was in the hearts and minds of friends and foes alike.
Why did Jesus ask the man what he wanted? Was it genuinely to find out, because Jesus didn’t know? Or for some other reason? I’m guessing it’s for another reason.
Maybe Jesus was only going to give the man what he asked for, so if the man asked for some food, that’s all he’d get. But believing in a God of mercy and abundance, I cannot believe the man’s healing was dependent on his saying the right magic words. I mean, what would Jesus have done, if he’d asked for a few coins? Given him the coins and walked on by, leaving him still blind and begging tomorrow?
More than this being a quiz about using the right words to access God’s healing, this question of Jesus is intended to make the man think, and ask. Maybe Jesus wanted to pose the question to the man, so the man was forced to name what he needs. The man says he wants to see again. And Jesus obliges.
This morning I’m thinking about how I’m like the blind beggar. I could easily be dissuaded from asking Jesus for what I need. I could be dissuaded from persisting when discouraged. If I’m not thoughtful, I could easily ask for the wrong thing, or less than what I need. I need a few coins, versus I need to be healed.
Today, I want to hear Jesus asking me, What do you want me to do for you? I want to clearly hear the question, and with thought, offer my clear and persistent response. God, let me see again.
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