Sitting by the roadside

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. (10:46)

A blind man, Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside. Jesus was going on a road trip toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside and Jesus was going on his way passing the road. The common point is the road.

According to the gospels, most of cases the disciples met Jesus on the road and followed him. The Sea of Galilee where Peter, Andrew, James and John brothers met Jesus was also the road at the broad extend. Tax collector office where Matthew met Jesus was also the road. Other disciples and followers also met Jesus on the road.

Jesus’ public life was the continuation of the road. Jesus practically had lived on the road and Early Christian experienced Jesus as the road, “I am the way.” (John 14:6) The character of the road is that people don’t stay long in one place. They stay for resting or talking a little while but leave soon. This is not easy for the people who want to stay comfortably in the accustomed place.

Whether Christian or not everybody recognizes the fact life is a pilgrimage. However, the idea about the road of Christian is a little different. People in the world may think the process of achieving the life they have planed as the way of life while Christians think to participate in a certain life incident that happens beyond or out of their life.

Again return to Bartimaeus, he met the Lord the way on the road. I say emphasizing a little more. We cannot meet the Lord unless and until we go on a road trip. Christian belief is basically the spirituality of the road. Church life, at the slight slip, destroys such spirituality of the road. Haven’t we become accustomed to the organization and system of church?