And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34 ESV).
Today is the day before we begin Passion Week. Jesus and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem where He knew He would end the week being falsely arrested, condemned, crucified, buried, and ultimately resurrected. It could not have been a more difficult week. Yet, we see the compassion and care of Jesus as He stops on the roadside to heal two men who were blind. It is a perfect picture of all that Jesus taught and practiced throughout His ministry. He was full of compassion for those who cried out in their pain and anguish.
Even when the crowd rebuked them telling them to be quiet (after all they were just two blind beggars on the side of the road), these men knew that the “Son of David” had the power to heal them. And they simply cried out all the louder. It must have shocked the crowd when Jesus stopped to ask them what they wanted.
There is an incredible message for us in this vignette. It certainly ought to remind us that no one is beyond help or undeserving in the eyes of our Savior. These men could not possibly offer anything of value to Jesus in the eyes of the crowd; however, in His eyes, they were priceless. I wonder how many times we have passed others by because of our mistaken evaluation of their worth. We must guard against that error.
We ought to also see the clear message that God’s work of grace is designed to “open our eyes.” So much of the time I am consumed with my immediate circumstances that I miss the work of God in my life. We must be diligent to look for the grace God is pouring out all around us, even in the most unexpected ways. Finding that grace we then must follow Him (v. 34).