When I was a little girl, eight years old, I lost sight in my left eye. From then on, I had countless eye doctor appointments. Every doctor seemed fascinated with my left eye. To this day, I am meticulous about keeping eye doctor appointments. Probably because of my own eye issues, I absolutely love the story of the blind man in John 9.
In case you’re unfamiliar, as Jesus and His disciples were walking along, they came across a blind beggar sitting by the side of the road. Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). Isn’t that so like us as humans? We are quick to evaluate and assess. The disciples wrongly assumed that because this poor man was blind, it had to be the result of someone’s sin! Jesus told His disciples that the blindness was not the result of sin but a tool to showcase the glory of God.
Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud, and put it on the man’s eyes. He told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. When the man did, he was able to see! However, this caused quite a stir. The religious leaders were all up in arms. They began interrogating the poor man. Imagine being able to see for the first time and not really being able to celebrate because folks are upset that they don’t understand how it happened.
The man who was formerly blind but now able to see was kicked out of the temple. Jesus was moved with compassion and went back to find him. He introduced Himself as the Son of Man, and the man believed and worshipped (John 9:35-38).
As I’ve been thinking about this story this week, I believe it invites us to ask ourselves three questions.
3 Questions to Consider from the Healing of the Blind Man
What Are My Views on Suffering? Jesus clearly told us that in this life, we would have suffering (John 16:33). Yet, so often when we suffer, we ask ourselves, “Is God punishing me?” or, “Is God really good and worth trusting? If He was good, wouldn’t He take away my suffering?”
It’s good to pause and consider how God might want to use the suffering I’m experiencing.
Where Do I Need God to Open My Eyes? We can become so narrow in our vision that we only see things from our human perspective. A good prayer for each of us to pray often is, “Lord, open my eyes to the wonder of who you really are. Open my eyes to see more clearly your will for my life and for the lives of those around me. May I trust You more deeply, inviting Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Have I Put God in a Theological Box? This is what the religious leaders did. They were convinced the Messiah would not look like Jesus. God would never heal on the Sabbath. When God doesn’t make sense to you, will you stay faithful and trust Him?
May I challenge you, my friend? Read the story in John 9 and then take a few moments to consider these questions. Ask God to open your eyes to all he is doing in your life and those around you.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Becky Harling
Featured Image by ken lecoq from Pixabay
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