Goodbye rationality

In Luke 18, there is a story about a blind man who hears a ruckus.  He normally spent his days sitting on his blanket begging, and he asks the people around him why all the noise.  They respond "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."  And the Scriptures say he began crying out "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:39)

This is one of those times when words are unable to portray the atmosphere of the moment.  I always thought he was "yelling" like when we see a friend and call his name loudly.  But I have a feeling this was not that at all.  You see, the people around him told him to quiet down, I always assumed it was just because they didn't want him to bother Jesus.  I think, honestly, it was because the blind man was so loud that it hurt their ears! (It says the people in front of him told him to quiet down, not 'the people around him')  Jesus was his only hope

The rational thing to do from the blind man's perspective would be to ask one of the people to bring Jesus over to him.  But here' the funny great thing about when you are near your only hope- rational thinking goes out the window.  There is no place for reason and desperation in the same place.

The blind man heard that Jesus was near, and he used every ounce of strength he had to scream the name of Jesus as loud as humanly possible.  Like a lost traveler in the desert crying out, in hopes that someone miles away could hear.  And he didn't stop.  It wasn't a "eh, I'll scream once, if he doesn't hear me, oh well, I tried my best.  Besides, he's a busy man."  This man screamed until Jesus heard him.  I'm sure his voice was raw.

Jesus asks what the man wants Jesus to do, the blind man replies he wants his sight back, and Christ gives him his sight, saying his faith made him well.

I watched the movie 127 Hours last night, so I was already in a 'desperate cry for help' mood.  This story, while not saying that it was, reeked of a desperate man who knew his only chance at sight was a man in the midst of a crowd of probably thousands!  The chance of 1 man's cry to be heard over all the others is low.  Then put that man on the ground, where his voice would travel into the backs of the people in front of him, not raising over the noise, but actually die into it- the chances are slim to none.  And the blind man probably knew that.  But his only hope was to get Jesus to hear.

People do crazy things when they are near their only hope.  And people do crazy things when they are near Jesus.  Do you see the correlation?

Let's take a lesson from the blind man- and when we are at the end of our rope, and help is nearby- let's not sit and wait, not wanting to disturb them- let's make sure that even if they can't or won't help us- they will hear us! And the best part- when we are screaming for Jesus, he will hear us, and he will help us!

Let's stop trying to act elegant around Jesus, like we got everything pulled together.  Let's show ourselves for what we are- dysfunctional, messed up, hopeless wrecks!

So goodbye rationality.  You held me back when I needed to break free and run.