I.
The focus passage for this week does not mention praise directly even though we are “suppose” to be in a series of passages that focus on praise from one angle or another. So, what do we have before us this week?

Let’s begin by first reading the focus Scripture and get in mind the actors and actions we encounter.

II.
Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

III.
Did you notice the passage begins with, “They came … [they] were leaving.”

What follows is something that happens when Jesus, his disciples and others were on their way to a different place.

Did they think the work in Jericho was done? Where were they going next? Was this crowd thinking more about Jericho, the journey to the next town or what the next town held for them?

As they are leaving, their journey is interrupted.

And some try to quiet or suppress the interruption.

IV.
Let’s begin to ask where we might find praise beginning or coming about in such a place.

Do you find interruptions praise worthy? Or do you try to rush past interruptions to the more important things for you? Do interruptions give you cause to be present in that moment, to see what is right before you or does your focus remain on your schedule such that you fail to see what can be clearly seen in front of you?

V.
Take a moment and see if you can recall an “interruption” that opened the door to praise.

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}