Giving Voice

Jesus stopped and called for the man to be brought to him. When he was present Jesus asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”
He said, “Lord, I want to see.”
-Luke 18:40-41

There's this story in the gospels where Jesus is walking down the road and a blind guy nearby has heard about him. He begins shouting and trying to get his attention. Other people try to shut him up, but he is undeterred. Finally, Jesus hears him and invites him forward. 

Now, I know we have movies where some guy meets a girl for a date and only realizes an hour later that she is actually blind, and it's a big reveal moment and we get to find out if they're actually going to keep dating and all that. 

Yeah, that is nothing like the reality of the 1st century. No sunglasses. No subtleties. When this guy is brought to Jesus, there is zero chance that Jesus didn't know he was blind. The guy would have been led by others through the crowd, likely living in quite a bit of poverty because of his condition. 

There is also zero chance of any confusion as to why the man was calling out to Jesus. Jesus is becoming famous for his healings. That's literally the biggest reason the crowds were following him. A man who is blind hears that there's a man who heals people nearby. And he cries out... "Lord, have mercy!" 

Everyone is on the same page here. And we, as the reader, we can sense what's about to happen. 

So then, why on earth does Jesus ask the most obvious (and insensitive) question: What do you want me to do for you? 

Option one: Jesus doesn't know. 
Gonna go with FALSE for that one.
Option two: Jesus is super irritated at the man, and gives one of those ugh what do you want?!?!? kind of statements. 
Again, feeling like his body of work doesn't match up with being irritated at people who are disabled. 
Option three: 
Jesus found it important that the man give words to his longing for healing. 
Hmmmmmm.

Jesus knows that there is value in putting into words to what we think is obvious. 

There something powerful and necessary about telling God what we desire. There is value in giving words to our need that opens us up to the next stage of our healing. It's like a cracking open of sorts. 

We speak it, and we may actually believe it ourselves. We speak it, and we may actually start looking for it. It doesn't matter if it seems obvious. I mean, how much damage has been done over the years because people don't ever say, "I love you," because it seems obvious? 
Speaking stuff out loud is transformative. 

And sometimes, it's the only way we can start to imagine our healing. I know this is true of myself, and I've seen it in others. There's this temptation to spend so much time dwelling on pain points or on how challenging certain areas of life are, that all the energy and focus is on wallowing with Jesus rather than voicing hope of wholeness and life. 

It's almost as if Jesus might be sitting there thinking... It seems like what you actually want is for me to commiserate with you. Ok, but if you want to move toward healing, you're going to have to actually name it. 

Of course there are times for Jesus to simply comfort us in our pain and lament. But there are also times to respond to that simple, searing question... what do you want me to do for you? 

More often than not, we may not actually have the clarity on that that we assume. Jesus knows your heart, but wants you to know it too. Do you want to be healed? Do you want to walk away different? Dare you give words to real hope? 

Yes, Jesus says. You should dare. So go ahead and say it.

Maybe today, as you are doing your neat and tidy prayers praying for neat and tidy things, Jesus is walking up to you and saying, "Honestly... what is it that you want me to do for you? Where is your brokenhearted longing? What is the healing you are hoping for? Tell me. I'm here and I'm listening." 

Pray it. Journal it. Even share it with others. Let Jesus lead you into some fresh faith, fresh healing, fresh transformation. 

What do you want? 

Jesus, help me be honest with myself and with you, to let you guide me toward healing. 

Peace,
Keith