Scripture:

“They marched the man to the Pharisees. This day when Jesus made the paste and healed his blindness was the Sabbath. The Pharisees grilled him again on how he had come to see. He said, ‘He put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.’

Some of the Pharisees said, ‘Obviously, this man can’t be from God. He doesn’t keep the Sabbath.’

Others countered, ‘How can a bad man do miraculous, God-revealing things like this?’ There was a split in their ranks.

They came back at the blind man, ‘You’re the expert. He opened your eyes. What do you say about him?’

He said, ‘He is a prophet.’

The Jews didn’t believe it, didn’t believe the man was blind to begin with. So they called the parents of the man now bright-eyed with sight. They asked them, ‘Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he now sees?’

His parents said, ‘We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. But we don’t know how he came to see—haven’t a clue about who opened his eyes. Why don’t you ask him? He’s a grown man and can speak for himself.’ (His parents were talking like this because they were intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who took a stand that this was the Messiah would be kicked out of the meeting place. That’s why his parents said, ‘Ask him. He’s a grown man.’) They called the man back a second time—the man who had been blind—and told him, ‘Give credit to God. We know this man is an impostor.’

He replied, ‘I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind . . . I now see’.” John 9:13-25 (MSG)

 

Perspective:

Jesus was walking by this blind man when Jesus’ disciples asked if this man had sinned or his parents. It was tradition in that day that a physical aliment was a result of sin in someone’s life. Jesus dismissed this part of the conversation and brought their attention to the person. He made a clay paste and put it on the man’s eyes. When the blind man washed his eyes, he was able to see. However, not everyone was thrilled about the healing this man experienced. The blind man’s parents were worried about getting kicked out of the synagogue so they wouldn’t give validation to Jesus for healing their son. The Pharisees were unhappy, because it was the Sabbath and a man couldn’t be healed in this manner on that day. The Pharisees were trying to find ways to condemn Jesus. Yet, the blind man looked at the evidence more than the Pharisees’ evaluation. He knew one thing: he was blind and now he could see everything around him. For the person receiving the miracle, it didn’t matter the day, time, or method. The evidence of healing spoke for itself.

 

You may be looking at a need in your life and wondering if Jesus could do anything for you. What do you need from Jesus today? He is less concerned about tradition and more concerned about people. You may have something in your life that has become part of your identity that feels like a chain. It may be a diagnosis, an addiction, or a personal struggle. You don’t have to be sitting in a church pew and dressed in your Sunday’s best to experience Jesus’ power. He is concerned about you and your needs. He sees you sitting in your house late at night wondering how you will make it. He sees you, as he saw the blind man that most people walked past. During that time, blindness resulted in people begging for the rest of their life. This blind man would have been sequestered to that outcome if it hadn’t been for Jesus. His testimony was in the evidence. Examine the evidence of Jesus’ power at work in your life. What you once were is not who you are going to be. Don’t let what has been define the narrative of your life.

 

Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002.  Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. 

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

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