Matthew 20:29-34
And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

What was the experience of a blind person in Jesus’ day? His encounters with several blind people are recorded in Scripture, and they are usually found begging. In fact, most of the people He encounters with some severe physical ailment are also beggars, which means they had little to nothing of their own. Which means they couldn’t work to support themselves. Which means they depended on others for basically everything. Which means they were extremely vulnerable people. They were probably some of the lowest members of society. In fact, the crowd here even rebukes them for having the boldness to cry out to Jesus as He passes by.

But Jesus always pays attention to the lowest of the low. He can hear their cries in the midst of the shouting. He knew their need before He even asked them what they wanted from Him. He cared about their condition and their request. He stood still, though He had been on His way somewhere. He took time, though He always seemed to have so much to do. He called for them to invite them near and to hear their need. And then in His compassion, He removes their blindness and gives them the gift of sight, and what a world would have been opened up to them now, what fresh opportunities, what newness of life they could experience.

It is often difficult to find our way in this weary world. Too often we can feel that we’re just groping blindly through the circumstances that come upon us. But then there is Jesus to restore our sight, to give us a vision for what lies ahead, to ensure that we can find our way safely and are better able to navigate the things we must face. We once were blind, but now we see. We see the truth of ourselves and our need for Jesus. We see His way and His truth. We see His purposes and His plans. We see a new life with new opportunities. We see the path forward as we follow after Jesus, seeking to keep our eyes upon Him and to go wherever He might lead us next.