Scripture: Mark 10:47-48
When Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Thought for the Day: You have probably seen a movie where a crowd of people in some medieval setting cry out for an individual who is about to be beaten or executed. The crowd shouts, “Show mercy!” The hope is that the person with authority and power will hear the cries of the people and reverse his/her decision. In the case of Bartimaeus, he hopes Jesus will show mercy to him, yet it is not a plea for Jesus to change his mind. It is a yearning to be noticed amidst the crowd that wants to dismiss and ignore Bartimaeus. The word mercy in the original Greek is Eleeo, and it describes an act of kindness that changes a person’s future. Sometimes just being noticed for the person we are is merciful enough. In a world where we all are too often dismissed or ignored, it is good to know that God is always working to show us mercy – to show us an act of kindness that reveals are true value – to change our future toward the good.
Prayer: Continue to work through your church, O Lord, for the good work of mercy. Too many are feeling rejected and forgotten. Let our words and actions embody your merciful kindness. Amen.
SUNDAY’S SERVICES
8:15, 9:30 & 11:00
