John chapter 9 is one of my favorite passages in Scripture. Here we find a man born blind and Jesus heals him, in his own words, “so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” Read this passage before continuing with this little piece of fiction.
Old man, every day I see you come to this place. Every day I see you take what you have and distribute it to these beggars and invalids. Why do you do that?”
“Because I can see.”
“What do you mean because you can see?”
“I see suffering. I see those in need.”
“I see them.”
“No you don’t.”
“They’re right there — are you saying I’m blind?”
“Yes.”
“You’re blind!”
“I was…now I’m not.”
“What do you mean you were but now you’re not?”
“I mean I was blind and now I’m not.”
“You don’t make sense.”
“And you’re blind.”
“Old man, how were you blind?”
“Blind like these people on the street. Sightless. Couldn’t see. Walked into walls. Stumbled over baskets.”
“And now you can see?”
“Clear as day.”
“How?”
“A man put mud on my eyes and now I see.”
“What?! Who is this man?”
“You can’t see him.”
“Because I’m blind?”
“No, because he’s gone and because you’re blind.”
“You’re making me angry.”
“I have a knack for that sort of thing. You can’t see him because he’s gone — gone to be with his Father in heaven. You can’t see him because you’re blind — because these blind beggars and invalids all around you are who he works through now.”
“And if I can see them I can see him?”
“Now you’re catching on.”
“So how do I see them?”
“You look at them, but they’re like any other obstacle in the way — a tree, a wagon, a pile of dung. Look at them like they’re your brother and you may actually see them.”
“I’m looking…they look like people, just like you and me.”
“No, they’re not just like you and me. They’re blind and damaged and poor.”
“I saw that before.”
“Now you see it through fresh eyes. The question is what are you going to do about it?”
“Help them?”
“Help them.”
“I can do that.”
“You were blind, now you see. Now that is remarkable!”
Text 1 John 5:1–5
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Whoever loves the Father also loves the child who is born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
For Thought
- “If you see something that needs doing, do it.” That was one of my dad’s main rules. One problem: kids are blind. I know that now, because I have three sons of my own and they’re all “kid-blind”: they see toys and television just fine, but ask them to pick up a white sock on a dark carpet and you might as well have asked them to raise the dead. Why is it so hard sometimes to see the obvious?
- God deals with us the same way we deal with our kids: “If you see something that needs doing, do it.” It’s really that simple, isn’t it? In Matthew 25, Jesus gives us a glimpse of judgment. Toward the end of the chapter, he spells it out clear as day: “you can’t come in because you didn’t take care of me.” The answer is expected: “when didn’t we take care of you? When did we see you?” Read Matthew 25:31–46 and see what Jesus meant.
Water to Wine
- This week is another simple assignment: If you see something that needs doing, do it!
- During prayer time, ask the Lord to remove the scales that form on our spiritual eyes. Ask the Lord to help us see clearly to keep his commands. Ask for the sight to see need, and for the strength and provision to meet those needs.
