What do you want Jesus to do for you?

I once read a list of the world’s worst questions—or at least someone’s idea of the world’s worst questions. One of them was, “Can I ask you something personal?” (Not a good opener.) Or, “Do you remember me?” (Usually, when someone asks this, I don’t.) But of all the wild, crazy questions I’ve ever heard, few could beat Jesus’ asking a man who’d been blind almost all his life, “What do you want me to do for you?”

It seemed obvious. But it wasn’t. Jesus was asking blind Bartimaeus—a man who had asked for alms, bread, and handouts for years—if he was ready to ask for the big thing, the thing he really longed for. When a true miracle worker came his way, would he believe enough to ask for the one thing he needed most? Counselors will tell you that they meet few clients who seem ready to address their central problem right off the bat. They sort of circle around it until they are comfortable enough to dive in. It takes courage, and a certain level of trust, to say “Here’s what I need more than anything. Can you help?”

Jesus was able and willing to give Bartimaeus that for which he asked. I believe He still walks among His people today and asks, “What do you want me to do for you? What do you really need? What is the deepest longing and desire of your heart?” But because of fear or a lack of faith, we ask Him for alms—the small change, the stuff that doesn’t matter much—when what we desperately need is healing. It is almost as if Jesus is asking, “Do you believe enough to ask for the big thing?” Bartimaeus took the plunge. “I want to regain my sight,” he said. And immediately, Jesus healed him.