The Bible tells us to love others as much as we love ourselves and to consider other people more important than ourselves.  There are a multitude of reasons why we have trouble doing this.  The energetic, goal-oriented cowboy may have trouble considering others important because of being so focused on accomplishing his goal.  On the other hand, is the lazy, couch potato.  For this cowgirl it is just too much effort to get up and help someone else.  The reasons and excuses for disobeying this most important command of God are endless.  How often do we ask others, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus did.  These words are recorded in the eighteenth chapter of Luke, verse 41.

 

Jesus, on his way to Jericho with a crowd of people, heard a man shouting very loudly.  Jesus stopped what he was doing and asked this blind beggar that was sitting beside the road, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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There are several interesting points to this story.  First, let’s read it as it appears in the New Living Translation.

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As they (Jesus and his disciples) 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 of Nazareth was going by.

 
So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 
The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the man, but
he only shouted louder, “Son of David have mercy on me!” 
 

When Jesus heard him, he stopped and
ordered that the man be brought to him.

 
Then Jesus asked the man, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord,” he pleaded, “I want to see!”
 

And Jesus said,  “All right, you can see!  Your faith has healed you.”
 

Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. 
And all who saw it praised God, too.

Here is a list of some interesting points to consider:

 

• Why did the man shout at Jesus?  At the end of the story in verse 42 we see Jesus commending the man for his faith.  The man knew Jesus.  He obviously had heard the stories of what Jesus had been doing.  In the last chapter of John we are told that if all the miracles Jesus performed while on earth were written down, they couldn’t contain them in many books.  This man had heard and chose to believe in Jesus.  He knew Jesus was able to help him.

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• The crowd tried to hush the blind beggar.  It doesn’t say why.  Maybe they were embarrassed by the way the beggar looked and smelled.  Maybe they didn’t want to be interrupted.  Because they were with Jesus maybe they didn’t think this man was good enough to interrupt their day and their time.  No matter what they thought, it didn’t stop the man from doing all he could to get the attention of Jesus.  And no matter what the crowd thought, Jesus had time for the blind beggar.

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• An interesting point that could be overlooked, but it is seen over and over in the gospels;  Jesus asked those his followers to bring the outcast to him.  In the book of Luke is an entire story devoted to that point;  it is referred to as the story of the lost sheep.  Jesus chose to use people to bring the needy beggar to him.  Jesus still works that way today, He has chosen to use ordinary people that believe in Him to bring others closer to God.

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• Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?”  How incredibly awesome, Jesus the creator of the universe, the Lord of Lords, asked a blind beggar, “What do you want me to do for you?”

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• Because of his faith, Jesus gave the man what he asked.

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• And the blind beggar followed Jesus and praised God.  Jesus wants us to be thankful for all that he does for us.  Out of thanksgiving we should want to follow him and praise God.

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• The crowd praised God because of this act.  Many people were blessed because this blind beggar sitting on the side of the road had enough faith to ask Jesus for help.What might have happened to the beggar if he hadn’t shouted to Jesus for help?  What if the beggar had been intimidated by the crowds and shrunk back from reaching out to Jesus?  What if the beggar had given up hope?  What if the beggar was so depressed and into himself that he hadn’t heard the crowd as they passed?

When the beggar met Jesus face to face,
his life was changed. 
His life was better because of knowing Jesus.