A close look at Bartimeus and we will see a likeness to ourselves! That may seem incredible to many but it is nevertheless true. All of mankind by nature are afflicted with the twin evils of blindness and poverty. Spiritually we are blind. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see . . . ," John 3:3. "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them," 2 Corinthians 4:4. Man cannot see himself or his sin and he certainly cannot see the Saviour! Blindness is associated with poverty. We are in debt to God and utterly unable to pay a penny. "Forgive us our debts," Matt 6:12. Only the grace of God can provide us with deliverance from our plight. Do you still not see a likeness of yourself in Bartimeus? The blind beggar is aroused by the noise of a passing multitude and upon hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth that was passing he began to call upon Him. Some tried to stifle his cries, verse 48. However, he called all the more.