Paul and Matthew are social media content creators who happily share insights into their lives. Paul is legally blind. His sight is extremely limited to shadows with some colour. Matthew lovingly uses Paul’s blindness to play pranks – like filling the shower with plush penguins and trying to get Paul to notice. There is such joy in the way Paul says Matthew when he realises, he is being pranked.
Their videos also provide insights into how Paul navigates life. For example, Paul is a children’s author. He uses a special program on a tablet to illustrate his books with stark, contrasting colours that make it easier for him, and by extension, others who have low vision, to see and appreciate the images. His stories highlight the love he experiences with his partner, centering two penguins who share their love with a diverse community. The reveal videos when Paul receives the first copies of a new book show his excitement as he flips through the pages and lovingly smells the fresh print.
There are also videos showing how Mr. Maple skillfully guides Paul around Seatle. Matthew regularly shares his amazement at how well the trained guide dog keeps Paul safe and helps him get where he needs to go. It is clear from the videos that Paul’s blindness does not prevent him from living a joyful, comfortable, love-filled life.
Bartimaeus was not so lucky. He was blind from birth. At the time, this suggested that he was somehow cursed and so, people treated him as an outcast who was to be pitied. Left with few options, he was forced to rely on the generosity of others simply to survive.
Still, his hearing worked just fine. He heard the buzz about Jesus of Nazareth and what he was able to do. When Bartimaeus realised Jesus was nearby, he embraced the possibility and called out, hoping this would be a moment of transformation.
Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
Those who have been blessed with sight may find the question odd. What do you want me to do for you? The guy is blind. Of course he wants to see! Why ask? No one wants to live in darkness. We value our sight, even if we take it for granted. Besides, blindness is clearly the source of his struggles. Change that and change his life.
Of course he wants to see. The assumption seems natural to those who have never been blind. Then again, the world has been constructed in a way that assumes sight as the norm and the ideal. But is it really blindness that was Bartimaeus’s problem or, was it, in fact, how people treated him because of he was blind?
What if we begin the conversation by acknowledging that God created Bartimaeus as he was – blind from birth? What if we recognise that, in all of who he was, including his blindness, Bartimaeus was created in the image and likeness of God? What if we accept that Bartimaeus, like every human being created in the image and likeness of God, was blessed with gifts to share? What if Jesus’ question is really an invitation to consider the heart of the problem and ask what is truly needed for Bartimaeus, and indeed all those who are blind, to live fully who they are?
What if, by asking “What do you want me to do for you?”, Jesus is challenging those with sight to see differently, to see that what Bartimaeus really needed was a world where wellbeing is not diminished because of blindness.
Two thousand years later, Paul lives in a world where his wellbeing is not significantly diminished because he is blind. He is not left to rely on the generosity of others for his survival. He can share his gifts, share his laughter, and share his love with the world. His gifts are a blessing. His life is not perfect. There are still hurdles for him to overcome, but it is far better than the experience of Bartimaeus in part because Paul lives in a world where his needs are being accommodated. Paul lives in a world where he has opportunities to truly be who he is created to be.
Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’
God has lovingly created all people. Those who are different offer gifts that can bless if we remain open to ensuring there are ample opportunities for those gifts to be shared. May we continually work towards a world where difference and disability do not undermine anyone’s wellbeing, a world where all people can share their God-given gifts transforming our assumptions and priorities and teaching us to see anew. This we pray as we sing: (VT) 712 Beauty for Brokenness.