Matthew 20:29-34 (NIVUK)
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!’
32 Jesus stopped and called them. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ he asked.
33 ‘Lord,’ they answered, ‘we want our sight.’
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
We’re used to seeing royals going along the crowds kept back by railings, shaking hands and exchanging greetings. There must be an art to doing this with strangers, giving each a moment that makes them feel seen and known, even though they’re just another face in the crowd. I get the feeling, however, that Jesus is genuinely interested in the members of the crowd. He engages with them as individuals. He has compassion for them, listens, even to the culturally unimportant and low. This is what it looks like to exercise kingdom authority, in contrast to the rulers of the world that Jesus spoke about a few verses ago.
Thank you Jesus, that you see and love us. Help us to see.
Original photo by Evan Dennis on Unsplash
Leave a Reply