“Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.” John 9:32
These were the words of the man who was born blind… but whom Jesus gave sight to. (And I tend to think that when he said it, it was a little sarcastic… a little “right-back-at-ya”.)
I would imagine that over the years this man had heard the opposite quite a bit. There must have been quite a few well-meaning people who felt they needed to be “realistic” with him…
“Listen, I’m sorry, but there is no precedent for your healing. No one has ever received their sight when they were born blind!”
“This is just your cross to bear….” “God doesn’t do that anymore.”
But you see… since he couldn’t see… he listened.
I can imagine him at Passover hearing to the stories. In his world that was completely dark… he could see what others couldn’t.
“Wait!,” he may have thought…
Had anyone ever seen the sea part before?... Or the Nile turn red?...
Or was anyone protected by a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of smoke during the day?...
Water flowing from a rock… Bread from heaven…?
Ever?
Had anyone ever seen or heard such a thing?
Stop… (don’t collaborate) but listen…
To what this blind man heard… to the conversation that was going on about him…
“Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (5:2)
(I am sure he wanted to know. He had been wondering his whole life. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Who can I blame?)
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. … As long as I am in the world I am the Light of the world.” (5:3-4)
(An amazing moment when shame is washed away…)
Jesus spits. (Yeah, I am sure the blind man heard this… I bet he was hoping that it was at the “accusers”). Makes clay. Gives the instruction.
(An amazing moment when mud is washed away…)
Healed.
Be like the blind man…
Choose what you listen to. (Listening is acting on what you heard)
Don’t limit what God can do in your life… what miracles can be seen… what obstacles overcome… because you have never seen it before… or heard of it happening.
“Faith is the substance of this hoped for the evidence of things unseen.” Hebrews 11:1
And definitely... DEFINITELY… don’t listen to those who would tell you to give up or “live with it.” Their intentions may be good…
But their theology is off. They think that because they have never seen it… it can never be seen.
Or because they have never heard of it… that it could never happen.
I wonder what the used-to-be-blind man would say to that?
These were the words of the man who was born blind… but whom Jesus gave sight to. (And I tend to think that when he said it, it was a little sarcastic… a little “right-back-at-ya”.)
I would imagine that over the years this man had heard the opposite quite a bit. There must have been quite a few well-meaning people who felt they needed to be “realistic” with him…
“Listen, I’m sorry, but there is no precedent for your healing. No one has ever received their sight when they were born blind!”
“This is just your cross to bear….” “God doesn’t do that anymore.”
But you see… since he couldn’t see… he listened.
I can imagine him at Passover hearing to the stories. In his world that was completely dark… he could see what others couldn’t.
“Wait!,” he may have thought…
Had anyone ever seen the sea part before?... Or the Nile turn red?...
Or was anyone protected by a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of smoke during the day?...
Water flowing from a rock… Bread from heaven…?
Ever?
Had anyone ever seen or heard such a thing?
Stop… (don’t collaborate) but listen…
To what this blind man heard… to the conversation that was going on about him…
“Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” (5:2)
(I am sure he wanted to know. He had been wondering his whole life. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Who can I blame?)
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. … As long as I am in the world I am the Light of the world.” (5:3-4)
(An amazing moment when shame is washed away…)
Jesus spits. (Yeah, I am sure the blind man heard this… I bet he was hoping that it was at the “accusers”). Makes clay. Gives the instruction.
(An amazing moment when mud is washed away…)
Healed.
Be like the blind man…
Choose what you listen to. (Listening is acting on what you heard)
Don’t limit what God can do in your life… what miracles can be seen… what obstacles overcome… because you have never seen it before… or heard of it happening.
“Faith is the substance of this hoped for the evidence of things unseen.” Hebrews 11:1
And definitely... DEFINITELY… don’t listen to those who would tell you to give up or “live with it.” Their intentions may be good…
But their theology is off. They think that because they have never seen it… it can never be seen.
Or because they have never heard of it… that it could never happen.
I wonder what the used-to-be-blind man would say to that?
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