Bartimaeus somehow knew that Jesus was more than just a popular prophet and miracle worker. He called him “Son of David,” a title that described the Messiah, the long-promised deliverer of God’s people. This declaration was a prelude to Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as the Lord’s anointed, the true King.

Walking into the town of Jericho, Jesus was surrounded by a roaring crowd, but that did not keep him from hearing the cries of a person who truly needed him. Other people ignored or rebuked this “nobody” named Bartimaeus, but Jesus saw his faith and called him.

With God’s help, we must learn, despite life’s distractions, to train our eyes to see and our ears to hear the needs of people around us. When Bartimaeus came over to him, Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” This question shows Jesus’ focus on serving the needs of others. And never did he say, “Now you owe me.” Instead, highlighting the man’s trust in him, Jesus said, “Go . . . your faith has healed you.”

We learn from Jesus the importance of being selfless and not losing sight of our mission. We recognize that our mission as followers of Christ is to be attentive to our community and to include the people we meet, day-in and day-out. We remember that our help must go out to others, not just to those who can help us.