Surprise!
Mark 10:48b, 52
But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” … And 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.
Some of my favorite artistic depictions of the Life of Christ are paintings of Jesus opening the blinded eyes of hopeless beggars living in the margins of society. The thought of a blind man seeing for the first time creates such a compelling picture of Christ’s pity on lost humanity, doesn’t it? Mercy is astonishing, even shocking — just like light to eyes that have only known darkness. In fact, I’m not sure there is a better way to describe a Christian’s conversion than the way John Newton famously wrote in his song Amazing Grace: “I once was blind but now I see.” Today, see Jesus again through this beggar’s eyes.
And let Mercy take you by surprise!
Further Reflection
That you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
1 Peter 2:9b