labels and identity

Mark 10:46-52


I love the story of blind Bartimaeus in the Bible.  It is interesting that he is always referred to as “blind Bartimaeus”.  That is even how the heading in my Bible for this passage of scripture.  I have been guilty as well on putting labels on people’s names.  We have probably heard labels like, blind, handicapped, black, white, Hispanic, fat, skinny, ugly, etc.

Maybe you feel as if you have been labeled and you feel like you are never going to be able to overcome it. Bartimaeus gives us some insight on how to lose your label or identity and have a new identity in Jesus.

First he heard that Jesus was coming by and he began to cry out to Jesus.  People rebuked him, told him to stop it.  They told him it wasn’t going to help, and he was never going to amount to anything, but he kept on calling out to Jesus.  Are people telling you to stop it, be quite and just give up?  Telling you to stop wasting your time, that you will never change your circumstances or condition?  I encourage you to keep calling out to Jesus.

Jesus stopped when He heard Bartimaeus call.  All the people who had told him to be quiet were now telling Bartimaeus, "get on your feet He’s calling you".   Bartimaeus’s critics had now become his biggest fans. Bartimaeus jumps to his feet, comes to Jesus and asks for his sight.

Blind Bartimaeus lost his label that day; he lost his old identity.  He was no longer "blind" Bartimaeus.  He was healed, and he had a new identity.  He was the guy with a new vision, a new purpose, and a new life.

What about you?  Are you ready to stand up on your feet and go because He is calling you?  Are you ready to lose that old identity and be given a new purpose a new plan just for you?  There may be new life and a new vision that only you can accomplish.

Unquestioning Belief

Heb 11:1  Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

 This verse represents the Bible's definition of faith. Webster’s Dictionary tells is that  faith is “unquestioning belief.”

 A few weeks back, I was reading Hebrews 11 and the phrase “by faith” is used to describe what the people in the bible did.  It made me think, why do we do what we do?  It is obvious these men and women in the bible did what they did because of faith.  They had unquestioning faith in God.  They had convictions in that they believed in something and it motivated them to do whatever it was that God asked them to do.

All this made me think, why do I do what I do?  Whether it is my family, job, church, or ministry.  Is it because of my faith in God?  Or am I just going through the emotions of life?  Am I really putting faith to practice?  Or am I letting my feelings guide me?

 Heb.11: 6  “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”

I want to please God and trust that it is my faith in God that motivates me to do the things I do. 

Photo Coutesy Rigzen Tamchos