“A blind beggar named Bartimaeus… began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ ‘Be quiet!’ many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Bartimaeus had nothing to lose. He knew what he was... a blind beggar ostracized by his community. Bart was a social outcast. He could have no lesser status. Compliance with the local ‘noise ordinance’ meant nothing to a blind beggar. Bartimaeus was desperate, and with Jesus nearby, he fully recognized the chance of his pathetic lifetime.
Bartimaeus would make Jesus notice him. He shouted unashamedly and repeatedly…
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Bartimaeus was an embarrassment to the good folks of Jericho. Dirty, loud, destitute, blind, and far too obvious to the visitors they hoped to impress. The only person in Jericho more despicable than Bartimaeus was the fat, little tax collecting cheat, Zaccheus.[1] Bartimaeus and Zaccheus would top the list of “Losers of the Bible,” if you could find such a resource in your local Bible bookstore.
Check out Jericho in your New Testament concordance. The town is rarely mentioned. Yet Jesus came to Jericho for only two reasons of record… to heal Bartimaeus and have lunch with Zaccheus. Jerichoan dignitaries were not on the Son of God’s social itinerary.
He came for losers. If Jesus came to hobnob with the elite, the upper social crust, the notable and quotable people in my community, then I would not qualify for a divine visitation. Jesus, however, came for losers. That gives all of us a chance at Jesus.
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[1] Luke 10.1-10.
"Loser" image at the top of this post is of unknown source.
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