Joel M Bradshaw

35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”…

…46And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”48And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.–Mark 10, part 2

James and John didn’t know what they were asking. Their request was for glory and position. It was for power and legacy. It was to be granted something great. It was focused on the self but in a selfish way. But they didn’t know that to follow Jesus in leadership meant sacrifice, persecution, and death.

Blind Bartimaeus certainly knew what he was asking. His request was to see. Even though it was a prayer for himself, it was centered on Jesus and if he would give mercy. It was a prayer not of ambition but of helplessness and dependance.

James and John got a lecture on leadership and perspective. Bartimaeus got his sight. Faith for the first request was an opportunity to advance in life. Faith for the second was an opportunity to trust Jesus. Oh my goodness, make every day an opportunity to trust Jesus more.–JMB