Acts of Desperate People
"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." – Matthew 20:33

I love to read about desperate people in the Scriptures. Really, the Bible is full of them. Actually, today’s world is also. We are all in great need of both God’s provision and direction. In Matthew 20, we find two blind men in Jericho sitting by the roadside in need. This was probably where they could be found on most days. On this particular day something was different.

A crowd was following Jesus as He was leaving the town. As the commotion was passing by, the blind men shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” I think they wanted two things. First, they wanted to proclaim that they knew who Jesus was — the Lord of the universe. Secondly, they wanted to ask Jesus for the miracle that He alone could provide. As is often the case, the two men faced great opposition. The crowd began to rebuke them for disrupting the makeshift parade.

Now it would have been natural for the blind men to retreat. That is an easy route when you have other alternatives. These men were without options. They had a desperate need that required desperate action. So what was the result? They continued crying out until Jesus stopped. The long foretold Messiah stood before them and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” They responded specifically and without hesitation, “Lord, we want our sight.”

The blind men knew what to ask, and they knew who to ask. A thorough understanding of their needs prepared them to act decisively. They asked, and Jesus provided. But that is not the end of the story. You see, their sight was received immediately and immediately they followed Jesus. The physical needs were the avenue that led to a greater ultimate destination — a closer relation to Jesus.

What is our application? God is leading our school to new places and new visions. Our ultimate goal is to impact the world for His glory. One factor that will help us achieve this goal will be the physical expansion provided with a new high school building. We need to ask specifically for the Lord to guide and direct us as we walk through the steps necessary to see that become a reality. Our desperate need of His leadership should drive us closer to Him as we do His work.