I read a post recently about responding to the question, “What do you want me to do for you?” that Jesus asked the blind man as he passed him by. His response was that he could see. I suspect he was asking for his physical eyes to no longer have visual impairment, but could it have also been a spiritual request?
A friend of mine has been having a hard time with marital circumstances and even housing for herself and her children. She says her eyes have been opened to what people can do, which isn’t always kind. As God’s children, we often place our requests before the Lord. We ask for all kinds of things, like health, financial assistance, guidance and wisdom, to name just a few. We are instructed to pray about everything, and being human, we often ask selfishly. (Yes, I’m as guilty as anyone else!)
But someone else posed a different kind of answer, which set me back on my heels just a bit since it was quite profound, really. What about responding with, ‘What can I do for YOU, JESUS?’ It’s so easy to get caught up in our own lives, we forget there are others who likely have needs greater than ours.
Yet, aren’t we, as Believers, supposed to take care of each other? Certainly, the first church in the book of Acts did this. They even brought stuff daily to share with others in the community to make sure everyone had enough! We have organizations set up, even within our own churches that are meant to help the ‘needy.’ This is a wonderful thing and I commend each community who does this.
But what would happen if we individually looked out for our neighbor, (even if we don’t know them well, or worse didn’t get along with them!), our church family, along with our personal families who don’t live with us any longer? Sometimes, even our immediate families are left to their own means, because we ‘expect’ them, ---since they’ve left home---, to make it on their own.
I’m not suggesting necessarily paying bills when people are deliberately setting out to be wasteful and expect someone else to pay it. But stuff happens; our economy has been on a roller coaster for some months now, which has been quite the hit in many family’s pocket!
As we age, being able to help someone becomes even more difficult because we don’t have the monetary means, or perhaps even the physical means of getting around as well as we used to. In fact, we may be in ‘need.’ Does this mean, then, we are no longer responsible for ‘helping our neighbor?’ I think not. There are still ways to help others.
Jesus wanted to know what the blind man wanted. If Jesus asked you that same question, how would you answer? Once you’ve figured that out, ask yourself the next question. “What does Jesus want me to do for him?”
When we answer these questions honestly, it should tell us where our hearts are.
“What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
Luke 18:41-43
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