What Do You Want Me to Do For You?

I sat on our deck, annoyed with an associate who, I believed, was taking advantage of me. I'd done him a favor, but he'd decided it wasn't quite right. He wanted to change the plan "just a bit." I knew what "just a bit" meant -- I'd be doing favors until I put my foot down. The irony is, as I sat there, looking out into our yard, my eyes fell on my husband and a friend struggling in the budding heat of the late morning sun. The retaining wall at the end of our property needed replacing. The wall is ours, our burden to bear; whether we pay someone to do the work, or do it ourselves, it is our problem. But we have a truly selfless friend who labors alongside my husband. He has pushed himself and beat his body up for days now, doing our work. For his service, he goes home each day filthy, with sore muscles. He is away from his family and has surrendered his schedule. He has given up so much for us -- and not because we are great people or have done much of anything for him in return -- simply because he has a servant's heart. 

In Mark 10:32-52, Jesus asked the same question twice. The thing I find most interesting is the difference in the audience each time. In the first instance, Jesus had just told His disciples that He was going to die and rise again. He referred to Himself in the third person, so maybe they didn't quite get it. Or, maybe they did, and in a "request" reminiscent of the Parable of the Good Father, they said, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” In other words, "Yeah, good story, but we've got something we want to talk about." These were "seeing" men. They'd traveled with Jesus for years, were presumably healthy and well educated in the lessons Jesus taught. But they couldn't see past their own desires -- even for their Friend. Did Jesus flip out? Did Jesus rethink His decision to make them disciples in the first place? No, His relationship with them was never about Him; His purpose was to bring glory to His Father by giving His all for them. And He responded, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

The second situation takes place when, on the same trip to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples encounter a blind man, Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus calls out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Though his eyes might not have been working, this humble blind man could see: he confessed the Man before him as "God's Salvation" and "King of Israel", and begged for mercy. And Jesus responded, "What do you want Me to do for you?"

Jesus, the Servant Messiah, full of love and mercy, has selflessly given His all for the glory of His Father. Whether our heart is grateful or full of ourselves, God calls whom He wills. His plan and His glory are not dependent upon human "rightness." And that is comforting indeed, for none of us gets it right all the time. But as we humbly respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit, the righteousness of Christ is imparted to us and sanctification begins. May we faithfully desire His mercy and intentionally appreciate His grace as we grow to become more like our Servant Messiah.