Over the years I have had the privilege to hang out with folks who struggle with mental illness. Some are more minor, and some are life paralyzing. An interesting observation that I have made is that those that are the most mentally ill do not know that they are mentally ill. Everything that they see is normal. I worked with one guy who would see ninjas drop out of the ceiling to attack him. He saw no issue with it because he really saw those ninjas. It did not matter that nobody else could see the ninjas. In fact, the more that people tried to argue with him about the facts, the more rooted he became in his belief. The same thing often happens with those that are in willful sin. They have justified the sin for so long that it has become part of their identity. In their mind asking them to change is akin to changing who they really are. Sitting with them, showing them the true cost of their sin in this world is often met with derision and hate. The person trapped in willful sin simply cannot see the cost. Typically, they blame anyone and everyone. “They are too judgmental,” or “they need to accept me for who I am,” are common phrases that I often hear from this portion of the population. Even if they have lost jobs, relationships, homes or more they will argue in defense of their chosen sin. Again, sin is blinding them to the truth.
The Bible tells the story of Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus was blind in the time of Jesus’s earthly ministry. We can only imagine what it would have been like to be blind in those ancient of times, but it is certain that it was difficult. Many times those with disabilities were ostracized by many because it was assumed that if you were flawed that you had offended God. It is also certain that those with disabilities were prohibited from public worship. One day along a crowded road, Bartimaeus learned that the famous healing preacher from Galilee was approaching. Rumor had reached the community that this was much more than a prophet in fact this was reported to be the Son of David, the Messiah. The noise was such that nobody could hear the cries of the blind man as he sought to get the attention of the man. He yelled out louder and louder. His cries were those of desperation. Many in the crowd told him to be quiet until the teacher called for him. Now that he had his moment with Jesus, what would he say? He could have asked for funds to go to a blind school (if there had been such a thing at the time.) He could have asked for a new cane or a service animal. But he recognized his real need so he asked to receive his sight. Those in willful sin typically do not realize that they have a real need so never ask for it. Of course, the blind man received his sight. The same can happen for the one living in willful sin. They must somehow discover that they are blind.
