The interesting thing here is that the crowd censored the blind men. They rebuked them. They told them to shut up, go away: you are inconvenient. We want to hear from the rabbi who has done so many great things.

This was not Christ’s agenda.

	And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

(Matthew 20:29-34 ESV)

Christ was interested in the blind men. In the process he gives an interview tutorial: how can I help you? or What to you want me to do? are good first questions. He heals the blind men: visually and also spiritually, for they follow him.

Yesterday I was giving a tutorial on self-care or coping to a bunch of trainees. I made the comment that time management techniques don’t work in our job. The job consists of interruptions: telephone calls, corridor conversations between appointments. In the acute settings I work in the place can change overnight and I may have to stop what I am doing to deal with the more urgent.

Not because I’m that disorganized, but because people do things at odd times, or the chance to influence change comes rarely.

Christ knew he would not be in that place again. He chose to heal the blind. Regardless of the crowd.

If we follow him, the crowd will probably rebuke us as well. Follow him anyway.