Jesus has time for everyone

All of will wonder at some time or other if God might have more important things to do than to pay attention to us. There are always big problems in the world. Right now it might be COVID and the Ukraine; next year it will be something else. And who are we? Small people with relatively small problems. Our problems might be big to us, but in the larger scheme of things, they are not the kinds of things that impact the whole world.

Jesus’ actions in Matthew 20 help us to understand where we might fit. Jesus has attracted a very large crowd. Jesus has interacted with significant people like religious leaders and young rulers. He is leaving Jericho to head to Jerusalem. And on the side of the road are two blind men. These would be men who are on the fringes of society, those ignored by many. Yet Jesus hears their calling out, speaks to them, and heals them. The crowd rebuked them for crying out to Jesus yet Jesus himself took the time to hear and help them with their problems.

This is by no means the only time Jesus has time for unexpected people on the outside of the popular group. He welcomed children, spent time with tax collectors, spoke with foreign women, and ate with prostitutes. Jesus was no elitist.

Matthew 20 tells us that Jesus was motivated by compassion. Jesus loves all his children and is often moved by those in need that he meets. And as we know that all who trust in Jesus are children of God, we can be confident that we are all deeply loved by children of a good father would be.

God is also not limited in his resources like we are. We might not be able to focus on several large tasks at a time, but God doesn’t have those limitations. Just because God is interested in the big geopolitical events of our times does not mean he cannot have time for you and for me.

All of this means that we shouldn’t assume God doesn’t have time for us. If you’re not a Christian, you might feel that your life is too messy and your background too complicated for God to bother with you. That’s simply not true. God doesn’t need us to be all sorted out to listen to us; these blind men had big problems, and Jesus cared for them. Just call out to Jesus; he listens to all who call to him.

If you are a Christian and are feeling on the outside of things, outside the important group, and knowing you are no-one special, consider Jesus and the blind men. God cares for all his children. Pay to him today. He listens; he cares. God has done so much for you already in Jesus, and cares when you are hurting or lonely or struggling. You can be confident that Jesus is not only the promised King but also One who loves you more deeply than you could ever know.