how to truly see

One of the things
I always loved about teaching,
especially in the Middle School,
was the influence I had
to speak truth
into minds that were
seeking to realize
who they were
in this mixed up world.

And while my job
was to teach math,
there always seemed
an opportunity to give them
a few bonus lessons
on things like
manners,
responsibility,
positive attitude,
motivation,
hard work, and even how to
laugh at your own mistakes.

Because heaven knows
I made a few of those myself,
even in the classroom.

So on any given day,
I tried to be flexible
and open minded
about student needs
as well as what they
could teach me.

So it's not a surprise
when I read about Jesus
and His disciples walking
through their journey
as teacher and students.
For He was always looking
for similar teaching points,
even though He probably
already had a lesson plan
in mind for each day.

And on one particular day
they came upon a man
who was blind since birth.

Now in most of the miracles
I have read up to this point,
the disciples have been pretty quiet
and the dialogue was strictly
between Jesus and
the person to be healed.

But not this time.
Today, the disciples decided to ask
why this man was born blind.
As if it was the fault of his parents
for sinning... or even his own.

But Jesus said...
Neither this man
nor his parents sinned,
but that the works of God
should be revealed in him.
John 9:3 NKJV

And without so much as a word
to the blind man, Jesus began...
When He had said these things,
He spat on the ground and
made clay with the saliva; and
He anointed the eyes of the blind man
with the clay.
And He said to him,
“Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”
(which is translated, Sent).
So he went and washed,
and came back seeing.
John 9:6-7 NKJV

Any typically, that would be it.
They healed would go on,
often rejoicing, but not much else.
But not on this day.
For what happened next
became quite a fiasco.

For this man's own neighbor's,
people who had known him
and lived near him his whole life,
began to doubt that it was really him
who was walking around with sight.

And then the Pharisees got wind of it.
So they called him before their court
for questioning of this matter.
And they made him tell his story
as to how this all happened...
trying to determine
if he really had been blind.

And they asked him about the man
who gave him his sight and who
he believed the man to be.
He said, “He is a prophet.”

But the Pharisees
just became more confused
and divided over the issues.

And all I can think is... why?
Like, the man formerly blind
couldn't simply begin to enjoy
this grand miracle of vision
and venture about seeing new colors
new places, new faces, new visions.
Because people around him were stuck
doubting and making him prove
that he was actually... well himself.

But even that was not good enough.
For then the Pharisees
called in his parents.
They wanted his parents to prove
that their son was really
​blind since birth.
As if Jesus was playing
some kind of trick on them.

His parents answered them and said,
“We know that this is our son,
and that he was born blind;
but by what means he now sees
we do not know, or
who opened his eyes
we do not know.
He is of age; ask him.
He will speak for himself.”

His parents said these things
because they feared the Jews,
for the Jews had agreed already
that if anyone confessed
that He was Christ,
he would be put out of the synagogue.
John 9:20-22

How very sad...
his very parents being quieted
by tactics of fear.
They seemed to not even
be able to celebrate this miracle
because they were put on the stand
like they were criminals.

So again, the Parisees
called the formerly blind man back.

And I must say...
for me, this is where it gets interesting!
So I'm going to ask you to stretch...
you've just got to read it
like you're watching a movie.

Or try to put some real emotion
to the words written.
Dont leave them flat on the page.
Try to imagine this being lived out.
These men are jealous, angry,
trying to find some crime to pin on Jesus.

Haven't you ever known someone
you can't stand.
And every thing they say
drives you crazy.
Every thing they do,
makes you nuts.

That's how the Parisees felt
about Jesus.
They were obsessed and driven
to prove him wrong.

So now they had the newly sighted man
standing in front of them again.
And he was simply eager
to get on with his life and grateful
for what Jesus had done for him.

But they had accused Jesus
of being a sinner because He
healed on the Sabbath.
So now they asked this newly sighted
man for his take on that...

He answered and said,
“Whether He is a sinner or not
I do not know. One thing I know:
that though I was blind, now I see.”
Then they said to him again,
“What did He do to you?
How did He open your eyes?”

He answered them,
“I told you already,
and you did not listen.
Why do you want to hear it again?
Do you also want to become
His disciples?”
John 9:25-27

This is so rich to me.
Its as if this man is innocent
to all their anger and jealousy of Jesus.
He seems so not understand
why they can't now see
the obvious, like him.

What did He do to you?
How did He open your eyes?

That must have steamed them.
And then that last line
just cracks me up!
Do you also want to become
His disciples?”

Do you realize how much
that must have upset them?
The man was basically saying,
If you really want to know
how He does things,
follow Him around as close
as His disciples do, and find out.

And they actually did.
They were always following Jesus.
Not to be like Him,
not to be one of His disciples.
​But rather, to catch Him
doing something wrong.

So to the man, they said...
“You are His disciple,
but we are Moses’ disciples.
We know that God spoke to Moses;
as for this fellow,
we do not know where He is from.”

The man answered
and said to them,
“Why, this is a marvelous thing,
that you do not know
where He is from;
yet He has opened my eyes!
John 9:28-30

These men respected Moses
more than they did...
this fellow, Jesus.

And what the man tried
desperately to point out to them
was that maybe it was great
that they didn't know where
He came from.
Maybe that plus the miracle
made Him more likely
who He said He was.
And that alone was...
a marvelous thing.

To have a mystery in front of you
and not appreciate it,
because you are so wrapped up
in being right....
How very sad.
That was the plight of the Pharisees.
And I'm afraid also is the plight
of many prideful men and women.

But when Jesus heard
​that this newly sighted man
was then cast out of the synagogue
for speaking boldly,
He found him, He said to him,
“Do you believe in the Son of God?”
He answered and said,
“Who is He, Lord,
that I may believe in Him?”

And Jesus said to him,
“You have both seen Him
and it is He who is talking with you.”
Then he said, “Lord, I believe!”
And he worshiped Him.
John 9:35-39

And now I think back
to that first place when Jesus
came upon the blind man.
And the disciples asked Him,
Who's sin caused this man
to be born born blind?

Jesus answered,
“Neither this man
nor his parents sinned,
but that the works of God
should be revealed in him.
I must work the works of Him
who sent Me while it is day;
the night is coming
when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world,
I am the light of the world.”
John 9:3-5

I believe this is the Teacher
giving many lessons at once.
This blind man, as far as we can tell
had not even asked for a miracle.

And yet, Jesus had much work to do.
active work...
the opposite of idleness;
what God in Heaven wishes to be done.

​Along with an assigned work...
employment, job, occupation;
for Jesus that was salvation.
To rouse men to believe in Him;
to accomplish their salvation

Even if it meant,
riling the Pharisees on the Sabbath
so that many would start talking,
so that a buzz would begin,
so that crowds would
disagree,
discuss,
debate.

For even then,
truth can be found in revelation.
And salvation can be had
for those who will believe.

And Jesus said,
“For judgment
I have come into this world,
that those who do not see
may see, and that
those who see may be made blind.”
John 9:39

The less we try to reason,
as the blind man
who could not see,
the more we will receive
​when we decide to simply believe.

For judgment is harsh
for those who insist
upon only reasoning,
rather than seeing
through eyes of faith.

Word of God
train me today...
To let go of my mind of flesh
that insists on reasoning all things.

To close my eyes and see
with only my mind of the Spirit
that receives true light and life in faith.