Today’s scripture: Mark 10:46-52 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Jeff Miner):
I was the kind of kid who colored inside the lines. I obeyed all the rules. I got lots of A’s in school. You get the picture — I was the kid you used to love to hate.
And, if I’m honest, that’s still who I am. I hate making a scene. I’m very deferential to authority. And sometimes that still works really well, but not always.
Two summers ago, my entire extended family was on vacation together in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, when my brother-in-law suddenly couldn’t catch his breath. We called 911. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital, they managed to get him stabilized. Several hours later, he was still lying in the treatment area of the hospital emergency room, awaiting a definitive diagnosis. Three of us — my sister, my niece, and I — were right there with him when suddenly another breathing attack occurred.
My sister said to me, “Get help.” I ran out of the room to look around the emergency area to find someone official to politely ask for help. Everybody seemed engaged with someone else, I hated to be rude and interrupt, so I stood there momentarily paralyzed by indecision. Just then my niece said, “Don’t worry, Uncle Jeff; I’ll get someone,” and she proceeded to make a scene. “WE NEED HELP OVER HERE NOW!” We got immediate results.
Ever since I have felt ashamed for being such a timid “church mouse” in such a crucial situation, and I have admired the decisive boldness of my niece. Her boldness may have saved her Dad’s life.
This incident reminds me, “There is a time for every season under the sun — a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” — or should we say “a time to shout!” Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7.
What strikes me about today’s Gospel story is the behavior of the blind man. He shouted! When the crowd told him to shut up and stop being so rude, he shouted all the louder, until Jesus took notice. If the old man had been as timid as me, he’d still be blind. Because he dared to make some noise, he got his miracle.
Several years ago, many folks from our Church went down to the Indiana Statehouse. We were there to protest plans to amend Indiana’s Constitution in a way that would discriminate against LGBT people. We had prayed a lot about it, and felt God wanted us to get loud. We were there to disrupt an official Committee Hearing on the amendment. I was supposed to take the lead — me, the timid church mouse! When the first “yea” vote was cast in favor of the amendment, my job was to shout “Shame!” as loud as I could, so everyone else would know to do the same. I was so nervous. I had never colored outside the lines before. But this was a time to shout. So I did; we all did.
WOW! It was like thunder. It was like the voice of God speaking, rattling the legislative chamber with our shouts. And it really got our legislators’ attention. Our protest was a pivotal step in defeating the amendment. I guess sometimes it pays to shout.
Thought for the day: When the voice of God inside you says “Shout!”, you’d better do it. Don’t whisper; don’t whimper. Belt it out! You’ll get results!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.