In John’s Gospel, the ninth chapter includes the story of the man Jesus healed by spitting in some dirt and rubbing the mud on the man’s eyes. First thing that catches me is the negative question that arises: “who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind?”
What an inane and revealing question. How could the man have sinned before he was born? It also reveals an outlook on life that is still shared by many today. If something is wrong in our lives it is possibly (likely?) that it is because God is punishing us. When we read the answer Jesus gives to His disciples (who are his closest confidants and students) he says, “Neither…but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life…”
Our immediate thought is that God made this man blind so Jesus could heal him. That’s a little self serving and even cruel, isn’t it? Does God cause pain and disruption just so we will turn to Him? We see and know so little of what is really going on this world and in our lives. We view everything from the lens of our hearts, our experience and our expectations. If we step back and consider the statement Jesus made; can we see a greater picture? We are all the blind man, and I mean that both figuratively and literally.
We all have things in our lives that can be considered disabilities or barriers. So often we too seek to assign a reason or a purpose or a place of blame. But keep in mind that this world is flawed by sin, our lives our flawed by sin. Reason or no reason apparent, In each of our lives is this opportunity – that the work of God might be displayed in our lives when we do seek God.
In a follow up interview, the man is questioned by the Pharisees (the religious leaders of the day who were upset at Jesus healing people) their questions reveal their determination to do things their way and not allow God to break in. Seeking to assign things as evil because it doesn’t fit their view. It cautions us to be careful as we try to sort out life.
Just because we don’t like something about ourselves or something that has happened in our lives or in the lives of our loved ones, does it mean that evil is afoot. Yes, evil is present and the devil is real, but let’s not give him credit that just belongs to the painful realities of life on this broken planet. We live and die, we love and hurt, we stumble and climb.
As they question the man he says “I was blind. But now I see.” Of course that reminds us of Amazing Grace. It also reminds me of Keith Kitchen’s lyric on his album “Rumours of Light.” In the song Long Way Down he says “once my world was monochrome and didn’t know what I was missing, until someone turned the rainbow on.”
Jesus is the light of the world, when He caught up to the newly sighted man, He asked him “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man asks, “who is he? Tell me so I can believe in him.” Jesus basically replies ‘you’re looking at him’ (my paraphrase). The man responded in belief and worship. That is the work of God displayed in his life. His optical vision restored, his spiritual vision was opened in faith and salvation. We were created to praise God and be in relationship with Him. Jesus came for that very purpose, that the work of God might be displayed in our lives.
Look to the one who is the light, He will open your eyes and turn your world from monochrome to living, vibrant colour. And the work of God will be revealed in your life!
