LEAN ON ME
DAY 31: A good friend of mine always says, "If there is something you don't like doing, do it with someone you like and you will enjoy it because you're together." I've called on that friend many times to be the "someone I like" to walk alongside me through challenging, difficult and less enjoyable tasks - as well as all the fun things we get to do together. And in all those circumstances I can attest to the truth of her "do it with a friend" philosophy. When you have someone by your side to lean on the journey is always better.
Today, I saw two friends in scripture doing just that. For all the times I have read this same passage in Matthew 20, I have NEVER noticed that friends were at the heart of the story.
Jesus and His disciples were on the move again. They were leaving the city of Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. As they were leaving the city, a huge crowd followed them. Jesus and the crowd happened to pass by, not one, but TWO blind guys sitting beside the road.
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Somehow, in their blindness, these men became companions. They shared a common affliction. They shared the same scorn of their community. They shared the same challenges. And in their common circumstance, it seems they shared friendship and found someone to lean on. Jesus passes by as these two were together beside the road. I have to wonder if they had heard that Jesus was in town. While they didn't have sight, they certainly had ears. It would have been all the talk when this miracle worker arrived. I wonder if they discussed together if Jesus could heal them. Did they talk about how they might ask Him for help? Did they work together to get a place on the road so that they could call out to Jesus? Did they decide they should do it together to help one another in case someone tried to stop them?
I think they did. And if they gave courage to each other the way my friends give courage to me, then they were ready when the criticism started.
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Standing shoulder to shoulder, they had the courage to persist.
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Incredible! Two friends both realizing they needed Jesus. Two friends seeking Him out together. Two friends leaning on one another to stay the course pursing Him. Two friends running after Jesus, finding Him, AND FOLLOWING HIM together.
If there had only been one, would he have had the courage, the strength, the will to go sit on the road alone? To overcome the obstacles, to wait for Jesus, to face the ridicule, to ask for a miracle alone? In my experience, God often sends the gift of a faithful friend to run along beside us, to steady us when we stumble and to stay the course with us. There are days it may feel like the blind leading the blind, but on those days, it is good to have a companion to lean on as we wait for Jesus to come by, have compassion and give us the sight we need.
TODAY God made me truly thankful for the friends in my life that I can call on for more than just a girl's night out. I am blessed to have a few special friends I can lean on, who will sit on the proverbial road with me, and who are always available so we can follow God together.
THE BIG QUESTION IS: Who needs me to be the kind of friend they can lean on this week? Who needs you?
Day 31 of 365s with God
Exodus 12:14-51
Exodus 13:1-16
Matthew 20:29-34
Matthew 21:1-22
Psalm 25:16-22
Proverbs 6:12-15
Today, I saw two friends in scripture doing just that. For all the times I have read this same passage in Matthew 20, I have NEVER noticed that friends were at the heart of the story.
Jesus and His disciples were on the move again. They were leaving the city of Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. As they were leaving the city, a huge crowd followed them. Jesus and the crowd happened to pass by, not one, but TWO blind guys sitting beside the road.
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Somehow, in their blindness, these men became companions. They shared a common affliction. They shared the same scorn of their community. They shared the same challenges. And in their common circumstance, it seems they shared friendship and found someone to lean on. Jesus passes by as these two were together beside the road. I have to wonder if they had heard that Jesus was in town. While they didn't have sight, they certainly had ears. It would have been all the talk when this miracle worker arrived. I wonder if they discussed together if Jesus could heal them. Did they talk about how they might ask Him for help? Did they work together to get a place on the road so that they could call out to Jesus? Did they decide they should do it together to help one another in case someone tried to stop them?
I think they did. And if they gave courage to each other the way my friends give courage to me, then they were ready when the criticism started.
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
Standing shoulder to shoulder, they had the courage to persist.
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Incredible! Two friends both realizing they needed Jesus. Two friends seeking Him out together. Two friends leaning on one another to stay the course pursing Him. Two friends running after Jesus, finding Him, AND FOLLOWING HIM together.
If there had only been one, would he have had the courage, the strength, the will to go sit on the road alone? To overcome the obstacles, to wait for Jesus, to face the ridicule, to ask for a miracle alone? In my experience, God often sends the gift of a faithful friend to run along beside us, to steady us when we stumble and to stay the course with us. There are days it may feel like the blind leading the blind, but on those days, it is good to have a companion to lean on as we wait for Jesus to come by, have compassion and give us the sight we need.
TODAY God made me truly thankful for the friends in my life that I can call on for more than just a girl's night out. I am blessed to have a few special friends I can lean on, who will sit on the proverbial road with me, and who are always available so we can follow God together.
THE BIG QUESTION IS: Who needs me to be the kind of friend they can lean on this week? Who needs you?
Day 31 of 365s with God
Exodus 12:14-51
Exodus 13:1-16
Matthew 20:29-34
Matthew 21:1-22
Psalm 25:16-22
Proverbs 6:12-15
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