And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.”
Mark 10:47-48

Bartimaeus is the blind beggar yelling at Jesus and trying to be noticed. He is desperate for Jesus’ attention, and this might be his only opportunity.

Have you ever felt this way in a crowd, eager to be noticed while others around you silence your voice? It doesn’t feel very good. In some cases, the crowd around us continues to shape who we are more than we think.

Look at the people around you. Are there groups of friends who have opposing values to yours, but you just can’t shake them off? Your image as a child of God is the one role you do not earn and cannot change.  Pray for friendships that support you as a follower of Jesus.