ASking For Help

Welcome to Wondercafe2!

A community where we discuss, share, and have some fun together. Join today and become a part of it!

GordW

Church-Geek-Oramus
Pronouns
He/Him/His
This thread could easily fit in Health & Aging or in Relationships. But since it is tied to my sermon prep for this week I chose R&F.

Does the Squeaky Wheel always get the grease? Does it matter how loud it squeaks? Where or when it squeaks?

This week I am working with the healing of Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-56. Bartimaeus is told to sit down and be quiet, to not make a scene. He does not, Jesus hears him, and he is healed. Would Jesus have even known of the need/want if Bartimaeus had not made noise?

How many times do we not get the help or assistance we want/need because we do not want to be a bother and so we don't ask? How many squeaky wheels do we choose to ignore in our journey through life?

WHer is God in the squeakiness of the world?

My early thoughts for the week are here.
 
Expect that God is out of it and demons are filling in as it befall SEM! Expect sleeping giants, ichaþ*odes and others residing under the flaming bush ... understood?

Given God is the word ... can rearrangement be an impact? it is said in sleep all is rearranged ...
 
Good questions Gord. Some people seem to ask/squeak easily & loudly & possibly too often, some are more measured and for others it is such a difficult or almost impossible thing to do. For those who are so reluctant to ask, I often inquired of them how they felt when offering help to others. The reply was usually that they enjoyed helping, felt good about it. To which I would then ponder aloud how their refusal to ask for/accept help may be denying others that pleasure or satisfaction of being a helper. A different frame made the situation look a bit different for them.

Your post made me recall sitting in a outdoor square in Cusco, Peru in 1978. It was a sunny afternoon and two little school kids - probably aged 10 or 11 - stopped to chat with us - to practice their English they said. We enjoyed their company very much and after a bit we bought some ice cream from a passing vendor. They had not asked, but were very appreciative. As the four of us continued to sit, chat, and lick our ice cream cones, a man looking quite destitute was pointed out to us by the boys. They told us he would ask us for money (a common occurrence) and not to give him any because he drank too much and then was mean with his family. We had some interesting discussion then about how one would determine which requests were legit & whether tourists should or should not give money to those soliciting it. The wisdom of children.
 
This thread could easily fit in Health & Aging or in Relationships. But since it is tied to my sermon prep for this week I chose R&F.

Does the Squeaky Wheel always get the grease? Does it matter how loud it squeaks? Where or when it squeaks?

This week I am working with the healing of Blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-56. Bartimaeus is told to sit down and be quiet, to not make a scene. He does not, Jesus hears him, and he is healed. Would Jesus have even known of the need/want if Bartimaeus had not made noise?

How many times do we not get the help or assistance we want/need because we do not want to be a bother and so we don't ask? How many squeaky wheels do we choose to ignore in our journey through life?

WHer is God in the squeakiness of the world?

My early thoughts for the week are here.
The story sort of flies in the face of God knowing everything IMO if we take it literally.
Didnt Jesus tell us the blind will see, and those who see will become blind?
Do we always know what we're really needing when we ask for what we want?
Would God?
So I'm wondering, could Bartimaeus have had a spiritual blindness that was "cured" by "seeing" Jesus?
Or am I off base on this one IYO?
 
From working in healthcare: Yes, the squeaky wheel gets the extra-grease- most times. The more one has advocates the more likely to get the grease. The higher in status, the greater the fear of getting into legal issues if not giving the extra-grease. With what feelings the grease is given depends on how nicely it is asked for.
Sometimes, if the person is not asking, the system is not over stretched and their fate is causing pity/ empathy, extra-grease is given without asking, because empathy is what got most people to work in the system. The “ going the extra mile” is depending on the grade of burn out ( and the character of the employee).
Other than that, the ist the ” routine grease” one gets in dealing with the health system.
 
In the larger picture would the gods create parables to cover-up for what they didn't wished know to the detailers ... that's us picking up the leftovers that are getting thin ... given the efficiency of gathering wealth ... commonwealth? Does allow for the down side of the myth and what's below the horizon to demonstrate spherical process ... not for the flat out positioned! They don't wish momentum and movement ... seizure? Apoplexies ... thus the stroke that came as a blow to the sentient ... and then gone ... abstract! Nothing but a great void ...

Whoever come up with such aus tory? Torus ... as it goes round ... in f(itz) ... in other's Finnigan?
 
We got a LOT of meat out of this passage this morning. For such a short passage, it's full of tiny details which cause wonder/questions. And as always, the various translations cause lots of puzzlement. Was the blind man born blind or did he become blind? (Did he want to see, or see again?) What's with the crazy name? Bartimaus, son of Timaus, is an odd name because Bar-timaus means, literally, son of Timaus? Is this like my friend Bill Williams, whose parents presumably figured he'd only be able to remember one name? And in the end, was he saved, or cured, or healed? They all mean different things.
 
This is how I personally see this piece of Scripture on the Spiritual side not the physical side ------

I personally don't think that Bartimaeus speaking up has anything to do with the squeaky wheel gets the grease ------in this healing piece of Scripture ------

That is a phrase that we in this physical world use to complain about something or to protest about something that we are unhappy with so we can be heard ----

Definition

the squeaky wheel gets the grease​

proverb The person complaining or protesting the loudest or most frequently is the one who will receive the most attention from others.


I say ---------I don't think this person was complaining or protesting about his blindness -----when he was calling out to Jesus who was passing by ------I would say he was chasing after the one person he believed was the Messiah and he knew He could heal him ---his Faith which requires the right positive response was put into action --(Faith in action )-----His calling out was his positive response to him getting to Jesus who he knew could heal him ----and notice he humbled himself by asking for mercy --he understood that he didn't deserve to be healed and only by and through God's mercy could he even have a chance to be healed ------

Note ------it is not our Faith by itself that Heals him ----it is Faith in Jesus who has the power to heal him and that is the way it still is today ---People have this concept that they are not healed because they don't have enough Faith ------that is a wrong concept ------Faith brings you to Jesus who is the only one who has the power to heal -----you have to believe in Jesus Christ and that through Faith in Him you will be healed ------

He called out ----Mark 10:47 NIV
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

When Jesus ask -----the man what he wanted from him ------the man who cried out in his strong Faith in who Jesus was and what he could do ----- simply said---- I want to see -----so the man didn't ask for his sight -----Jesus ask and the man rightly responded to Jesus question -----and because his Faith in Jesus alone was shown when he shouted out to Jesus ---he was healed ------

We also see in this passage that Bartimaeus through off his cloak ---and jumped to his feet to go to Jesus -----

Mark 10:50, NIV: "Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus."

I say ----so why is this mentioned ------Apparently Cloaks played an important part in Biblical times

This is from -----read all just posted this part---


Cloaks play a significant role in the Bible. The Mosaic law states that if a borrow gives a lender his cloak as surety against the loan, the lender must not keep it overnight, as it may be the only shelter the borrower has (Exodus 22:26–27). When Elijah is taken to heaven, Elisha takes Elijah's cloak as a symbol that he has been granted that prophetic authority (2 Kings 2:13). Isaiah prophesies that the kingdom of Judah will see such hardships that a man who still owns his cloak will be considered well-off enough to lead (Isaiah 3:6). When Paul, imprisoned in Rome, senses winter is coming, he asks Timothy to bring him his cloak (2 Timothy 4:13).

The fact that Bartimaeus leaves his cloak on the ground gives an indication of how much he trusts Jesus to heal him. The road is crowded, and he is blind. Even if he knows the area well from long days begging, Bartimaeus will be in dire straits if his cloak is kicked along the road or stolen. We don't know if Bartimaeus goes back for his cloak after he is healed or not. Now, he's not too concerned about it.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So we see that Bartimaeus didn't let anyone stop him from getting to the one person who he so strongly had faith in to heal him

Obstacles will be put in your way when you are trying to chase after Jesus ----and you have to be able to push them aside -----the crowd was telling Bartimaeus to be quiet ------- His Faith in his healer was to strong to cave in to the crowds demands to be quiet ---

We have to keep our eyes focused on God who is our healer by and through our Faith in Him -----Bartimaeus was a beggar in need of Mercy -----

When Bartimaeus was healed ----he then Followed Jesus ------

Mercy ---is forgiving the sinner and with holding the punishment they deserve -----

So for me personally when Bartimaeus throws his cloak ---he was symbolically throwing off his sin which was forgiven so he could be healed ------just my view here -----as it doesn't say if he went back and picked it up -----so we are left to assuming here -----

What is so great about this ---is -----Bartimaeus realised he needed God's Mercy and he was willing to humble himself to ask for it -----he says Son of David ---have Mercy on me -------
 
The story sort of flies in the face of God knowing everything IMO if we take it literally.
Didnt Jesus tell us the blind will see, and those who see will become blind?
Do we always know what we're really needing when we ask for what we want?
Would God?
So I'm wondering, could Bartimaeus have had a spiritual blindness that was "cured" by "seeing" Jesus?
Or am I off base on this one IYO?
I think any of those could be jumping off points to reflect on this passage.
 
Seems to be many ways to interpret scripture sometimes...just depends what side of the bed you get out of in the morning.

You wanna be a fly on the wall at my Wednesday morning lectio divina group. There are atheists (me), very progressive metaphorical-heavy process/panentheistic types (me and several others including a couple of ministers), former Baptists and Anglicans, a Catholic lady (when we're meeting in person), a Dutch Christian reformed member, more traditional UCC social justice types, we used to have a couple who were originally Mennonite. The membership shifts a bit over time, the number of translations to which one is exposed seems to increase exponentially, and the opinions, holy cow, the opinions. They're as numerous as ants.

And look at the differences in the three re-tellings of this story. It is most unusual that Mark, almost always the most brief, and bare-bones of the story-tellers, tells such a fabulously detailed version of this story, in quite stark contrast to its brief treatments in Matthew (20:29-34) and Luke (15:35-43).
 
You wanna be a fly on the wall at my Wednesday morning lectio divina group. There are atheists (me), very progressive metaphorical-heavy process/panentheistic types (me and several others including a couple of ministers), former Baptists and Anglicans, a Catholic lady (when we're meeting in person), a Dutch Christian reformed member, more traditional UCC social justice types, we used to have a couple who were originally Mennonite. The membership shifts a bit over time, the number of translations to which one is exposed seems to increase exponentially, and the opinions, holy cow, the opinions. They're as numerous as ants.

And look at the differences in the three re-tellings of this story. It is most unusual that Mark, almost always the most brief, and bare-bones of the story-tellers, tells such a fabulously detailed version of this story, in quite stark contrast to its brief treatments in Matthew (20:29-34) and Luke (15:35-43).


I wish I wasn't so fa route or I could drop in as a logical fallacy poorly understood by those of piety! This is the momentous fixation ...

Id'll pas ...
 
I will try later to paste a copy of my reflection I sent to people on my reflections list three days ago. Life in the kingdom or kingdom of heaven, barriers to that life, and actions leading to that life form a lens I try to bring to stories about or by Jesus. The community's resentment about having Bartimaeus disrupt the event represents the desire of many to not be bothered by the needs of others (see my post on the worry thread). Bartimaeus gives up any pretense of self sufficiency in boldly asking Jesus for healing. Pride and fear of upsetting our community is another barrier to life in the kingdom. In healing Bartimaeus, Jesus demonstrated what life in the kingdom is like.
 
There is a thin chance for those under folks ...

Beneath the horizon of awareness of those just forging ahead for capitalism ... densely!

Facts unknown ... one must ask while living the question ...
 
Here is my reflection for October 19:
Reflection for October 19, 2021: Angels

Greetings everyone as we approach All Saints Day. A recent Facebook posts declared that miracles are kind people.

I listened to a CBC program a few days ago in which the host interviewed a researcher about a study about the gap between our perceptions about the interest and generosity of other people and their actual interest in us and generosity. Her research found that other people are more interested in us than we usually believe, and they are more willing to help us than we think.

If you observe something about another person that you admire or appreciate, tell them. Most of the time your compliment will be appreciated, give that person an emotional boost. If you need some help, ask, even strangers. Most people appreciate opportunities to help someone else. These two things help you be an angel for someone and for them to be an angel for you. You will get a no sometimes, but you will get more yeses than nos.

We are watching MAID on Netflix right now, and the experiences of Alex include several angels in her life. Grace manages the safe house where Alex gets refuge with her daughter after fleeing from her partner who terrified her the evening before when he was drunk. Grace’s patience, wisdom, and generous spirit bless Alex several times. Episode 8 includes a scene when Alex desperately needs $3 to pay for gas for her car and asks a stranger for the $3 she needs, and the stranger gave her the $3.

In a world with much negativity and many negative messages about the nature of people, knowing people mostly care about those around them, even strangers, helps us live with greater courage, hope, and generosity. We live in a beautiful world with many kind and generous people.

Appreciate the angels in your life. Dare to be an angel. confident in the promise, “Do not fear for I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Shalom,

Jim
 
Ask and ye shall receive. Knock, and the door will open. Help can't be assumed, it needs a voice so those who can help can. If no one hears then help is like unrequited love, wanted, desired, but denied. So, if you need help, of any kind, then ask. The same goes for prayer - asking for help in your prayers is fine, just understand that the help you want is not always the help you need.
 
Ask and ye shall receive. Knock, and the door will open. Help can't be assumed, it needs a voice so those who can help can. If no one hears then help is like unrequited love, wanted, desired, but denied. So, if you need help, of any kind, then ask. The same goes for prayer - asking for help in your prayers is fine, just understand that the help you want is not always the help you need.
Oh that it was so, but it's not. People are proud and ashamed sometime, so we really need to be actively looking for those in need.
Our eyes need to be opened to something objectively to that which cannot always be seen.
 
Oh that it was so, but it's not. People are proud and ashamed sometime, so we really need to be actively looking for those in need.
Our eyes need to be opened to something objectively to that which cannot always be seen.
I agree - but often the need is invisible. For example, if someone has a broken arm you can see it and sympathise and offer help, even if it not asked for or even required, but if someone is in anguish it's not always readily visible or seen. I do understand what you mean about pride, as I live in a retirement complex and the old stalwarts who have pretty much been through it all don't readily ask for help, even if they genuinely need it.

We have a 96 year old lady in our group and I often offer my hand to help her, and she brushes me away saying "I'm not that decrepit yet" lol. But I do get what you mean and we should be more aware.
 
Back
Top