Near the end of his ministry, Jesus found himself confronted by a blind man. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me (Mark 10:47). Despite infirmity and an insulting crowd, the man refused to give up until gets what he wants.

The New Testament identifies him as blind Bartimaeus, which tells you several things. He was Jewish. His fathers name was Timaeus (bar means son of in Hebrew), but you never get the blind mans first name. He seems to have had a local or regional reputation for blindness and begging. And his direct identification in scripture implies that he took part in the early Christian movement (the Way) and that others in the movement would have known him.

Before he healed Bartimaeus, Jesus asked a strange question. What do you want me to do for you? Most commentators will alert you to a salient fact: Healing confronts you with an obligation to accept new responsibility. It may sound harsh, but perpetual sickness makes it easy for someone who wants to bow out of daily living to do so without shame.

But in this story lies more of wisdoms pith. Dyk that it takes a great deal of humility to ask? It is one thing to beg for an enabling handout. It is another thing altogether to ask for knowledge or wisdom or direction. Women often laugh at men for our inability to ask for directions when we are lost. The one thing pride cannot bear to do is to seek genuine help. To do so implies need.

You never do see Bartimaeus learning from Jesus, but you get the idea that he had gotten to a point in his life where following good leadership made 100% good sense to him. If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and wont correct you for asking (James 1:5).

The Rev. Eugene Stockstill is pastor of Ebenezer United Methodist Church and Myrtle United Methodist Church in Union County.

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MEDITATION: No sin to ask for help | Religion | djournal.com - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal