It can be hard to relate to the people we read about in the Scriptures who were alive in Jesus’ day. They got to witness the miracles; they got to see Jesus in the flesh. The disciples got to hear Jesus and learn directly from Him. It’s hard to imagine what that must have been like and we can sometimes be jealous or envious of that privilege. There are those who believed in Jesus without seeing, just like us, and we read about one such person in Luke 18.

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Luke 18:35-38)

There he is—someone like us! Here is a man who believed in Jesus, who believed Jesus could heal him, and he believed without seeing! This blind man could only go on what he had heard about Jesus. He didn’t get the privilege of witnessing the miracles and yet he cried out to Jesus for mercy. Notice how the people around him react when he shouts out to Jesus.

“‘Be quiet!’ the people in front yelled at him.” (Luke 18:39a)

How relatable is that? When we cry out to Jesus, the culture around us will indeed yell at us to be quiet, but only if we are shouting loud enough to disturb those around us. This blind man wasn’t being obnoxious or rude—the blind man was simply crying out to Jesus but doing it big enough that he was noticed by the people around him, disturbing them and probably making them uncomfortable. Do you make the culture uncomfortable with your shouts to Jesus? If not, are you being too quiet? Are you blending with the culture too much? When those around us tell us to be quiet, how will we respond?

“But he only shouted louder, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Luke 18:39b)

The blind man responded by shouting louder! Can you imagine that? When the culture tells you to be quiet, do you shout louder or do you respect the culture’s request? What would happen if you shouted louder?

“When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’”
‘Lord,’ he said, ‘I want to see!’
And Jesus said, ‘All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.’ Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.” (Luke 18:40-43)

When we choose Jesus over the culture, we too can receive the miracle Jesus has for us. The blind man believed Jesus could heal him without ever seeing Jesus. He had faith without seeing—the same faith we need. When he was told to be quiet about Jesus, he only shouted louder. How will we respond when we are told to quiet down about Jesus? When your faith gets called out on social media, do you defend it louder or do you fade back quietly? Are you even shouting loud enough to disturb the culture in the first place?

This weekend, Christians celebrate Easter, commemorating Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. When Jesus rose from the grave, many of His disciples momentarily had to go on the word of others that Jesus had risen back to life. One disciple named Thomas refused to believe it based solely on the words of others.

“But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.’” (John 20:25b)

There are those like Thomas today, who refuse to believe unless they get the signs they demand. Sometimes Jesus meets the expectations of non-believers and pulls them out of darkness. Sometimes, people have hardened their hearts against any evidence. Either way, Jesus made it clear it is blessed to believe without seeing.

“Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’” (John 20:29)

Many people in the Bible got to see Jesus and believed because they saw, but we can believe—like the blind man—without seeing, and when we do, when we walk by faith and not sight, Jesus calls us blessed. Blessed are you who believe without seeing! Be blessed by believing this Easter weekend!

To the glory of the Lord God, whose I am, and whom I serve.

Mar 29 Blind Faith

“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Luke 18:35-38)

“‘Be quiet!’ the people in front yelled at him.” (Luke 18:39a)

“But he only shouted louder, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (Luke 18:39b)

“When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’”

‘Lord,’ he said, ‘I want to see!’

And Jesus said, ‘All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.’ Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.” (Luke 18:40-43)

“But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.’” (John 20:25b)

“Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’” (John 20:29)