Two Men, Two Choices
In Matthew 20:29 – 34, we have a brief, yet symbolic, account of two men. They sit in the dust, their faces at knee level to everyone else, and only one thing identifies them: they are blind.
Blind is a small word but it creates huge barriers for these two men. Obviously, they can see only in part or not at all, which makes for a dark, indistinct world where they miss out on so much. The rich, colorful life available to others is inaccessible to them.
Without their sight, they must rely all the more on their other senses. Imagine how they carefully listen for the sound of approaching footsteps just in time to call out, “Hey mister, can you spare a dime?” Theirs is a low-level life that promises little reward.
However! One day they hear someone special will be passing by close to their usual place on the road. Someone, people have said, who has done miraculous things. If so, this is their one, big chance: to catch his attention before he leaves town. They begin doing what they know best, shouting for attention. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
The people around them angrily respond to this. (“Be quiet!” would be the polite version of what they say to the men.) The message is, “This special person is not interested in the likes of you.”
But the men insistently continue shouting, even louder. Over the clamor of the crowd, Jesus hears them and he stops. He sees them as only Jesus sees people: looking deep into their hearts and souls. He then asks a strange question, “What do you want from me?”
Our reaction might be, “Uh, duh!” But N.T. Wright, in Matthew for Everyone, explains that the men actually have two choices. Option A: They can ask for money. This would be natural to them because it is how they have always made a living, if you can call it that.
Perhaps it crosses their minds, but how much? Jesus does amazing things so maybe $500? $1,000? No, how about $50,000?! – Each! That would provide a comfortable life for them. No worries about their next meal, Maybe even shake the dust off their clothes and trade them in for a brand-new suit. Dream big, baby!
This choice would mean they can stay in their old neighborhood with their old friends. This would be a good life, better, more comfortable than their old.
Or, they can choose option B. And they do. They ask to see.
Why is this so amazing? Because this request changes the entire trajectory of their life. Their former identification is gone. Who are they now? They are capable of so much more, new possibilities, new challenges, new everything. Yet this is the life they choose as they jump up to follow Jesus into the Great Unknown, a mysterious future of exciting adventures.
Jesus asks each of us this same question every day: “What do you want?”
What are our usual requests? A little safety on the road? A little more pay at work? A little more relief from that pesky hip? Our regular life only a little better, a little more comfortable? Give us our daily bread (and an accompanying dessert would be nice)?
Or, if we follow the men’s example, we too will ask Jesus for the ability to see.
What, then, will we see? Just like the blind men, we will see the Kingdom of Heaven breaking through into our dusty, earthly lives. It means we have new opportunities to glorify God. It means we can follow Jesus into a life that is far more abundant than we can imagine. This may be a life that is challenging and scary but, oh! no other life can be so fulfilling and satisfying. What would it be like for you to trade in your old comfortable, but limited, identity and take on a completely new identity?
In answer, we do well to notice that this account comes directly after Jesus’ teaching on servanthood, where he explains that greatness is predicated on serving. Here we are shown the blind men changed from those who are served to those who are servants of God and others. All because they can now see.
Jesus asks you today: What do you want?
Prayer: Jesus, we want to see. Open our eyes to all the opportunities you provide for us each day so that you would be glorified and our lives enriched.
Gerda Van Stralen