"What Do You Want Me To Do For You?"

On two different occasions Jesus asked, "What do you want Me to do for you?" One of those times it was of the blind man, Bartimaeus (Mark 10:51). Seems like a "duh" moment. He's a blind guy. He's calling to the Son of David, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Mark 10:47). Like the lame man at the pool of Bethesda whom Jesus asked, "Do you wish to get well?" (John 5:6), did You really have to ask? But He did ask, so it was just sitting out there. "Rabboni," he answered, "I want to regain my sight!" (Mark 10:51). Jesus responded, "Go; your faith has made you well." (Mark 10:52). Happy ending.

Funny thing. It wasn't 16 verses earlier that Jesus was asking the very same question. Jesus had just told them He was going to be tortured and killed and James and John tell Jesus, "We want you to do for us whatever we ask of you" (Mark 10:35). Jesus asked that same question: "What do you want Me to do for you?" (Mark 10:36). Nice. "They said to Him, 'Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.'" (Mark 10:37). Jesus rightly shuts them down. "You do not know what you are asking" (Mark 10:38).

Not the same response. Bartimaeus got an "Ok" from Christ and James and John were told they were asking for the wrong thing. What was the difference? What made one a good request and the other not? I ask because maybe we can learn something about prayer. Are we asking for the wrong thing?

I think it's pretty clear. James and John came from the position, "Jesus, give us the good stuff we deserve. We've been good. We've been Your disciples. We ought to be given special rewards for our above-average work." It's the same thing you hear in the "health and wealth" kind of thinking. "I deserve better." It comes from an elevated view of self. Bartimaeus, on the other hand, came from the reverse. He brought to Jesus his biggest problem. He brought his largest downfall. He brought his disability. He didn't ask out of confidence or because he thought he had it coming. He asked for help with a problem he had no notion of solving.

What about us? Do we come in desperation or in confidence? Do we ask for what we deserve or what we don't but need? Do we demand from Christ or come in humility? Are we superior to others in our requests, or are we at the bottom of the heap? Jesus is happy to ask, "What do you want Me to do for you?" He doesn't always give what's asked. Our attitude is important. How is yours?