June 12

Matthew 20:31 (NIV)
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!”

The crowd looked down on these men. I would imagine it was because they were blind and because they were loud. They were blind, which meant in that culture that they were kinda’ cursed of God. They were the down and outers of society – the low lifes. They were crying out for a hand up. Not only would did they want their blindness to be healed, but they wanted Jesus to care about them. They got both!

Why did they get both? Because they persisted and they did it loudly. The crowd wanted them to shut up, but they wouldn’t be denied. They had an attitude that all of us need in life – an “I won’t be denied attitude.” We give up too easy! The Messiah was right there – within ear shot of them – and they weren’t going to waste that opportunity! So they cried out until they were heard and then plainly told Jesus what they wanted – their sight. They got it! May we tell the world to shut up while we continue to cry out to God – He is near! He asks us the same thing – “what do you want?”