DON’T BE SILENT

• DAY 213
• FAITH FILE: BLIND BARTIMAEUS
• SCRIPTURES: MARK 10:46-52

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

You’ve heard it said that a closed mouth is a closed destiny. If that statement was a person, it would be Blind Bartimaeus. When we find him in our text today, he is refusing to close his mouth and be silent. He is lifting up his voice and crying out to Jesus for help. Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus was a man from Jericho, he had a name yet, his condition, his situation, and his ailment had become his first name and he was no longer addressed as himself. Every time he is called, he is reminded of his situation.

Labeled

That’s how human nature is; they label you by your condition. If you have one arm, you’re one arm John. If you’re short, you are short Jane and if you are fat, you’re fat Jeanette. They call you by the condition that you are going through and you wish they would see you beyond what ails you but humans will always be humans.

Like many of us with a condition, Blind Bartimaeus was tired of being addressed as blind as much as he was tired of actually being blind. So he hears that Jesus was coming and he cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” As soon as people heard him, they asked him to shut his mouth. His cry for help was disturbing them. They probably thought a beggar shouldn’t bug Jesus but they chose the wrong person to silence, because as they rebuked him, he cried out even more.

Bartimaeus was not interested in what people were saying, all he wanted was healing. So he refused to shut up. Until his voice got the attention of Jesus. If he never opened up his mouth to shout, he wouldn’t have gotten the help he needed. A lot of people remain hurt and abused because they refused to speak. So many of us let people bully us into silence, we are broken but refuse to open our mouths and speak. We forget that silence can hinder us from the much-needed help we require.

Speak Up

Beloved. Whatever situation you are going through right now, you cannot be silent. You have to speak. Open your mouth and talk. However, you have to open your mouth to the right person. You can’t open your mouth and ask for help from people that cannot help you. First, open your mouth and go before the one you know is your help. God, your ever-present help in time of need and cry out to Him for mercy. Then cry out to your community, people you trust and tell them where you are struggling. Whether you’re in an abusive relationship, or you’re hurting, open your mouth and cry out for help. And as you cry out for help, I guarantee you that you are going to experience help like never before.

So today, how about we practice it and you open your mouth and actually begin to cry out to God and say, “God help me. Jesus, Son of David, help me. I need your help in this area. And I trust you to come through for me.” And believe me, God will come through for you. In Jesus name

Shalom.