This week as I read in Matt 20 and also heard in class the story of the two blind men right before Jesus enters Jerusalem for his final week, something hit me. I am sure there are many interpretations to scripture that the Spirit can use to instruct us according to our needs and questions at the time, and this time I learned something different than was shared in class. As Christ hears that these men are calling for him, He stops and asks something very interesting, he looks at these men and can clearly see what is wrong here. He knows the intent of their hearts and even more obvious He knows that they are blind. He could have healed them but instead he looks at them and asks, "What will ye that I shall do unto thee?"
What I thought of this week reading this, is the fact that Christ is about to end His mortal ministry. His teachings are not unheard, and He has been teaching very clearly every second that He can in all places. So when He asks this question, perhaps He was allowing a test, a chance for them to apply everything He had taught up to this point. He had taught so many incredible attributes we can acquire and how we can truly repent and come to our Heavenly Father. He taught of the Holy Ghost, and He taught of forgiveness of sins over physical healings. Perhaps here in a way Christ wanted to give them a chance to aspire for anything, the same way He asked of the disciples of the Book of Mormon what they wanted. They received according to their desires, even though as we read in modern revelation that John and the three nephite disciples desired something greater. Maybe Christ asks us the same thing, or as Elder Holland once put it, "You can have what you want, or you can have something better."
The men respond with a petition to be healed. Obviously faith was present and I diminish that in no way, but sometimes I ask myself if Christ did not think of the incredible things they could have received had they had greater desires. In verse 34 I like the word used, "compassion". He does not joy in their desires, He does not marvel at their faith. Once again, I know these men are incredible, but I can't help but ask how many times Heavenly Father hears my lesser desires and has compassion on me. He knows what is better, and He can tell us if we ask and listen, but so many times we are so preoccupied with the immediate problem before us that I know I dont consider the greater gifts God has for me. I love Him and know that He loves us, He has compassion with our fragile wills and growing capacity to follow Him. But I want Him to feel that joy He sometimes expresses, I want Him to be proud, I don't want to be one of the ones that He will say to at the last day, "Thy will be done". I want to say those words, and I think these two men are a perfect illustration of that principle.