Cry out all the more

There is a story in the book of Mark (10:46-52, to be exact) that brings me to tears. There's a blind beggar sitting on the road, when he hears that Jesus is coming his way. I imagine him sitting as he did every day, begging, since that was his only hope of making any amount of money to simply survive--he couldn't work, for he was blind. Resorted to beg on the streets day after day, not many noticed him, and even fewer cared.

Suddenly, he hears that this man who makes the lame walk and the deaf hear and the blind see is walking nearby his begging spot. He perks up at this new hope, this new chance to be healed, and he cries out with all of his might, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Instead of being met with the hand of Christ, he is met with rebuke from others passing by, telling him to be quiet, to stop shouting. After all, why would anyone at all, especially Jesus, notice the obnoxious beggar who yelled out every day for someone to notice him?

But instead of being quiet, the blind man "cried out all the more" (v.48). Instead of being silent as they commanded him, he got louder! Jesus, noticing this man's eagerness, called him to him. So the surrounding people tell him "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you" (v.49).

The scripture says that he throws off his cloak, springs up (this weak, famished beggar), and goes to Jesus.

"And Jesus says to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' (v. 51).

I imagine the blind man grasping Jesus' ankles, or perhaps pleading, out of breath, on his knees at Jesus' feet.

"And the blind man said to him, 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.'"

A simple request. But one only Jesus could grant.

"And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." (v. 52).

It's a beautiful picture of someone changed by Christ. And the part that brings tears to my eyes is that when the crowd rebuked him, telling him to stop calling out for Jesus, he called out ALL THE MORE! How many times do we face the rebuke of those around us and quiet our voice, afraid to speak boldly for fear of persecution or embarrassment or of offending someone? I sure know I have been guilty, and I'm ashamed.

But the blind man realized who it was walking by him, so no way was he going to stop calling for him. Do we realize who it is before us? Do we even realize that Jesus Christ Himself walks in front of us, calling us to follow Him on His way?

As I think of chasing after Christ, pursuing Him and His ways with all of my heart, I also think of loved ones that decide not to go with me. And what about those that rebuke? Those that say the truly set-apart, Christ-pursuing path is foolish? When faced with their rebuke, will we not "cry out all the more" for Jesus, having the faith that He asks us to have?

I guess it really comes down to a matter of trust--do we trust this Jesus? Do we actually believe the things He said--that we have no reason to fear, for we are of much more worth than the sparrows and the lilies of the field? Do we believe Him that in His arms is the power to heal, for He is the Great Healer. Do we believe Him when He says that His grace is sufficient for us? And here's a big one--do we actually believe Him when He says that He is worth the cost of giving up our very lives? After all, the entire message of the Scriptures in regards to following Christ involves a DYING to ourselves. Why is it, then, that we think that we can cling to parts of the world, parts of our old nature, and still claim to be walking according to His Spirit? Don't get me wrong here, perfection is not possible to achieve this side of heaven, but God's power at work in us DOES bring us closer and closer to the perfection of Christ, as we are conformed more and more to His image.

Perhaps now I'm just rambling on, but I want to close with this--when others rebuke you when you decide to follow Christ with all of your heart (and they WILL rebuke you, for you will begin to look very strange to the world, and even to other Christians that still hold on to the world), remember the promises of God's word. Actually BELIEVE Him for the things He says. Write these words on your heart, and begin each day at His feet. Because there is no way that you or I will ever walk faithfully in the set-apart path we are called to unless we confess that we can't in our own power. Humbly and honestly sit at Jesus' feet, willing to learn from Him what it means to follow Him, and even what it means to actually believe Him for what He said. And when others rebuke you, call out all the more for Jesus. If you are willing to walk faithfully with Him, He will take you by the hand and lead you as you follow him on The Way.

"I have decided to follow Jesus...
Though none go with me, I still will follow...
No turning back, no turning back."