Follow and Glorify Him

When strangers I have never met come to the door and feign friendliness, I immediately sense these people are not at my door for the sake of visiting me but want something from me.  It is not a good feeling.  As I read the Gospels, I observe this was a regular experience for Jesus when people came to Him with their needs.  Some brought diseased family or friends for Him to heal, and others requested Jesus to accompany them home to heal a sick daughter or to share a meal--so they could try to find fault with Him.  Even as Jesus walked along random people among them hoped only to touch Him!  After Jesus fed 5,000 men and their families one day, they crossed over the lake in pursuit because they were hungry again.  People always wanted something from Jesus.

In Luke 18, Jesus was walking near Jericho and a blind beggar asked about the commotion.  After he was told Jesus of Nazareth was passing by he began to loudly cry out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  The people around the blind man rebuked him, possibly because of the ruckus he made but also because how controversial it was among the Jewish rulers to make such a claim--for calling someone the "Son of David" identified them as the Messiah God promised to send.  Undeterred, he cried out louder for mercy from Jesus.  It was not so much the shouting but the man who prompted Jesus to stop.

Luke 18:40-43 says, "So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, ⁴¹ saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." ⁴² Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." ⁴³ And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God."  Jesus asked the blind man what he wanted Him to do, and Jesus miraculously gave him sight according to his request.  In a moment the man went from being shrouded in darkness to seeing the Light of the World standing before him in human form.  It is evident the man delighted in Jesus Christ more than being able to see clearly, for he immediately followed Jesus and glorified God who made him whole.

This scene illustrates well how disciples of Jesus ought to employ all He graciously gives us to follow Him.  This man could suddenly see, so he fixed his eyes on Jesus intent to follow, serve and obey Him.  What a delight this must have been for Jesus, for in the previous chapter only one of the 10 lepers He cleansed thought to thank Him--and it was a Samaritan!  Having been born again, we ought to do more than say "thanks" and go on our merry way:  we ought to spend our lives following Christ by faith marked with obedience.  Having been forgiven, we ought to forgive others.  Our Saviour has loved us with an everlasting love, and so we ought to love God and others too.  Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit to help and comfort us, so we are divinely endowed with ability and resources to help others as well.  How about you?  Are you pleased only to have blessings and benefits from God, or does your life show you value Jesus Christ over all by using what He has given to follow Him?