Tuesday, May 18, 2010

What Is Your Beggar's Cloak

Reference Reading Mark 10:46-52

A disability is defined as a lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; a handicap that prevents a person from living a full, normal life, or from holding a gainful job, legal disqualification or incapacity. In the story of blind Bartimaeus, Bartimaeus had a disability that prevented him from living a full normal life and holding gainful employment. He was reduced to a beggar. And was given a garment, a beggar’s cloth to excuse his situation allow him to ask of others what he was unable to get for himself.



How many of us are like Bartimaeus. We are disabled and have a handicap that keeps us from living a normal and full life, and having gainful relationships with people. Some of us may lack power, whether spiritual or social, we lack the power to make changes and decisions in our lives. Others may be too weak. Too weak for men or women, too weak for money, too weak for drugs, too weak for power, we have become slaves to things and people because we are too weak. Some of have physical situations whether medical an actual disease or disorder or ailment, or are the victims of physical tragedies, abuse, violence, accidents, and the like. Or maybe the situation is mental, depression, fear, nightmares, pride, arrogance, selfishness, narcissism and pessimism, spiritual confusion, and so on. Either way our disabilities keep us from achieving a full life and having gainful relationships.


The garment that Bartimaeus wore was a cloak given to him to wear by the church that permitted him to be a full time beggar. How many people have been given permission to be full time beggars by a garment or cloak of an excuse. “Oh because she was abused”…… “His father wasn’t around”….. “She has been hurt in relationships” …… “It’s because he’s gifted”. Whatever the excuse or the reason, that cloak signified Bartimaeus and your excuse to stay crippled and depend on others to help you fulfill a normal full life. Without the garment he could not beg on the main street and in the marketplace. That’s why when Jesus came along and he threw it off, it was a pure act of faith believing that Jesus had the power to not only heal his sight, but also restore him to a place to live a normal life. He believed that whatever Jesus was going to do was going to give him the ability to do for himself and live the life he had been hearing all around him.


What is your beggar’s cloak. What keeps you bound to depending on people or things to live. What keeps you bound to the bedroom, bound to the bottle, bound to the pipe, bound to the pills, bound to people, bound to emotions. Throw off your beggar’s cloak and allow God to heal your disability and give you an opportunity to live a full normal life. The life you hear about from others can be the full and normal life you see happen in your own life!


Enjoy this song by Fred Hammond, Please Don’t Pass Me By. It’s Bartimeaus’ Story.


Bartimeaus' Story



Fred Hammond, Please Don't Pass Me By