The following is a paraphrase of Luke 18:35-39. 

  Jesus was approaching Jericho on His way to Jerusalem.  A large crowd was before, around and behind Him.  I would think it was noisy and the people were probably jostling one another.
  A blind man was sitting on the edge of the road and he could hear this large crowd as it came closer and closer.  He wanted to know what was going on.  Some people told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by him.

  What did this man do?  Did he just say, ‘Oh, that’s nice’ and continue to beg?  No, he didn’t.  He immediately yelled, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

  He recognized Jesus for Who He was (and is, the Son of David).  Do you recognize Jesus for Who He is or have you “bought in” to what others say about Him?  Do you know Jesus for yourself?  Ask God to give you the hunger, the desire to know Him as Jesus revealed Him when He walked in Galilee, Samaria and Judea. 

Back to the events at that time:
  Those who were at the front of this entourage gave him a stern warning, “Be quiet”.  Did this man listen to them?  No, he did not.  He yelled even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

  This man paid ‘no never mind’ to those well meaning people to protect Jesus.  This man did not let others deny him the opportunity to know Jesus and to regain his sight.  Do you succumb to others when they try to deny you the opportunity to know Jesus for yourself?

  What do you do when you have a real need?  Do you call out to Jesus to hear you?  Do you cry out with all that is in you to be heard, even above the noise of the world?

  This blind man had probably heard of Jesus and that He healed people.  This man probably would not have traveled far from home, for he was blind.  Yet, here comes Jesus, the One Who healed.

  Are you blind?  Oh, perhaps you have two eyes with good vision, but are you blind?  Are you blind to God’s words of truth?  Are you blind to your need of Jesus as your Savior?  Perhaps you have asked Him to be your Savior, but is He your Master, your Lord?  Do you intentionally follow what God’s words say or are you blind to Who Jesus really is?

  Tomorrow’s devotional will give the rest of the story of what Jesus did and said; and how the blind man responded.