Frankly, some people impress us and others don’t. Some people look good and sound good, while others don’t. And if we’re perfectly honest with ourselves, we tend to gravitate, don’t we, to the ones who impress us?

Have you ever noticed that when we get together in a group to talk with other people, some contribute freely while others are much quieter … shy even?  I was sitting in on a discussion the other day, and one of the really quiet people in the group said something that blew me away. He said, “I think loneliness is when not enough people know who you are.” Isn’t that profound? And this was from his own deep, personal experience.

Sometimes, we think that those apparently less impressive people in our midst have nothing to say. So the world rolls over the top of them. But if we’d only stop and listen.

Luke 18:35-40 Jesus came near the city of Jericho. There was a blind man sitting beside the road. He was begging people for money. When he heard the people coming down the road, he asked, “What is happening?” They told him, “Jesus, the one from Nazareth, is coming here.” The blind man was excited and said, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!” The people who were in front leading the group criticised the blind man. They told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!” Jesus stopped there and said, “Bring that man to me!”

What could be less impressive than a blind beggar sitting by the side of the road? The crowd tried to silence him but Jesus stopped there and said, “Bring that man to me!”

I love that about Jesus. He ignored the crowd and instead stopped, listened, and healed the beggar.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.