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Knowing how to dress in the area where I live challenges me.

At eight in the morning, clouds dump buckets of water. Noontime finds a blinding sun in a clear blue sky. And evening treats us to a thunder and lightning show accompanied by pinging hail. Should I layer a raincoat over a sweater or grab my umbrella and hope for the best? If I wear a coat to keep warm, I get overheated when I enter the grocery store, which makes my shopping task unpleasant. I must toss the coat because it’s a useless interference.

And then I sometimes sort through my closet—determining what doesn’t fit anymore, what would have the fashion police up in arms, or what is plain worn out. They’ve become useless to me and take up space for something new.

I wonder if that’s how Bartimaeus felt about his wardrobe. As a beggar, his coat was probably ragged, smelly, and so full of holes that it would have been easy to get tangled up in, especially since he was blind. But with the potential of meeting Jesus and being healed of blindness, he let go of the covering impeding his movement. It appears, however, that it was more forceful than just dropping it. No. He threw it!

The old habits and activities we wrap ourselves in only entangle us. When Jesus calls us, we must toss aside all that impedes us from following Him. We need the gifts of forgiveness and eternal life that He offers. He will heal our spiritual blindness so we see Him. Then He invites us to express our wants and needs.

Think about what raggedy old habits or thoughts keep you slumped on the side of the road and away from Jesus. Toss them aside and hurry to Him as Bartimaeus did.

(Photo courtesy of pixabay and DanaTentis.)