And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.

What is ministry? The best definition that I have heard relates ministry to administration. When we serve in ministry, we administrate the purpose and work of God here on earth; we serve as God’s hands and feet in bringing His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. The outworking of this finds the best representation in the life of Jesus.

The ministry of Jesus included everything that He did to see His Father’s will done. The purpose of His ministry and the purposes of God were identical. In the account of the two blind men in Matthew 20, the people around Jesus rebuked the blind men for crying out for help. Why might this be?

The crowd that followed Jesus desired to see Jesus at work. In the minds of this crowd that followed Jesus, in transit from one place to another, the ministry of Jesus had an agenda that had to be fulfilled. In their view, for Jesus to accomplish what He needed to accomplish as a part of His ministry agenda, He did not have time to stop for insignificant distractions along the way.*

What the crowd did not realize was that the ministry of Jesus is all about the “insignificant distractions.” As He preached, God is all about the “least of these.” We get into trouble when we decide what the agenda of the ministry of Jesus should be. We miss the mark when we think that bigger is always better or that small things are distractions to the “greater vision.” What if the small things are the vision?

These men that cried out recognized the deity of Jesus while recognizing their own insignificance: “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” Upon receiving this miracle, they did not abandon this perspective, but began following Him.*

Scholars believe that this instance of the word “follow” intends to communicate that they became disciples of Jesus. Of the many people who were healed by Jesus, these seemingly insignificant men, who by the perspective of many were nothing but a distraction to the “real work of Jesus,” became students and followers of the Lord Jesus.* Surely this was an honor not lost on these men. This intimate following of Jesus contrasted the following of the crowds. The crowds follow Jesus to observe, disciples follow Jesus to become.

Perhaps today you are looking for the purpose of God in your life. Maybe you have been looking for a grand vision of what He wants you to do. Perhaps you are in ministry and have an agenda that God set before you. Maybe God has called you to be a part of planting a church. The key to administrating God’s will here on earth as it is in heaven is achieved through the little things along the way that look like miracles for insignificant people.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to see the insignificant and act according to His voice. Perhaps God has given you a big vision but wants to speak to you about the simplicity of today. Maybe He wants to speak to you about those things and people that distract you during the day. Perhaps God wants you to know that even when you feel insignificant, He sees you and wants to touch you.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a step today… just one is fine.

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*Leon, Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew. Pillar New Testament Commentary (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1992), 513–516, and Keener, C. S., Matthew (Vol. 1, Mt 20:29–34) (InterVarsity Press, 1997).