Jesus’ healing of a man born blind in John 9 is an interesting study in the paths of faith. We know why Jesus did miracles like this; to prove He was God’s Son and glorify the Father, but have you thought about the life of this man before and after his encounter with Jesus.
I like to ponder stories like this because it helps me contemplate God’s overall plan deeper. Put yourself on this man’s path of life. You were born blind. You have never been able to see anything, total darkness. You must beg from others to even feed yourself. At the time of the healing, you are an adult. (We know this because in verse 21 his parents said, “Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself”.) Suddenly your life changes; you can see! The progression of the story is full of interesting questions and opportunities for us to ponder.
John 9:1-2 –
As He (Jesus) went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
The disciples believed for something this tragic to happen it must have been caused by sin. The Jewish community all assumed that. That means the blind man’s whole life to this point was one of rejection. People would see him as a sinner inflicted by God; someone to be shunned. I imagine he had a very lonely life for many years. Jesus said in John 9:3 he led this life “so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”. He led a life of darkness and poverty so that, after many years of living like that, God would be glorified. Ponder on that thought for a minute. I believe some people would say a loving God would not do that. Scripture says otherwise. It is a foundation shaker and a path setter. It does not allow God to be kept in the “box” of our own understanding. His ways are greater than our ways. Then Jesus does a very strange thing, at least in my mind. Especially strange to people in our culture today that are so conscious of germs and disease.
John 9:6-7
“He (Jesus) spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. Go, He told him, wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So, the man went and washed and came home seeing.”
Let us get back in the blind man’s shoes. There is no recorded conversation between Jesus and the man, but I assume Jesus had said something to the man before He put the mud on his eyes. The blind man was standing at a path choice. Would he allow this stranger to humiliate him by putting mud on his face or would he reject the path that would lead to his healing?
When questioned later the man said it was Jesus that healed him. He probably knew of Jesus reputation as a healer. However here he is blind and not even able to see what is going on. Then this gentle man, that he does not even know, spits on the ground, makes mud and puts it on his eyes.
This is one of the moments in scripture that helps me believe God prepares an individual prior to him being thrust into the forefront of God’s plan. How many people would allow a stranger to put mud on their eyes made from saliva? I am not sure the man would ever make that path choice without the Holy Spirit’s guidance in the situation.
The end of verse 7 amazes me. “So, the man went and washed and came home seeing”. Remember he is blind, but he still had the faith to follow Jesus’ directions. He had to find his way to the pool looking strange with the mud on his eyes. He may or may not have had help. However, he certainly was filled with the hope only the narrow path of faith can give you. He did as instructed, and “came home seeing”. Amazing miraculous healing!
After the healing, people that knew him were confused. Some said it was him; others said he just looked like him. They noticed the change and asked him, “Who opened your eyes?” The former blind man had no problem sharing his testimony; Jesus healed him.
Back in his shoes, he can now see all the things he has never been able to see, people, buildings, trees, etc. Color everywhere when previously he could only see darkness. However, he knows that he has not yet seen the person that was his healer, Jesus.
In John 9:13 the Pharisees come into the picture. We are allowed to see the difference between people that follow God’s narrow path and God has enabled to “see” the truth (the former blind man) and those on the wide path that cannot “see” the truth (the unbelieving, self-righteous Pharisees) following the path of unbelief. 9:13-34 is an amazing story of the total faith in the narrow path of the former blind man and the unbelief of the Pharisees and the man’s parents. Even in the presents of this amazing miracle, they could not let go of their disbelief. They would rather stay on the wide path.
Think deeply about it. Would it be scary to you? Would it challenge the way you think about God? I believe these are the things the former blind man went through after healing. No matter what else happened around him, those that knew him, believers and non-believers, could not deny God healed him. The rest of his life was a continuation of what Jesus said about him, “This happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”. The result of following the principles of His narrow path.
So, the question we are left with is after we have been given “eyes to see” does the rest of our life display the work of God? The conversion from a non-believer to a believer is a greater “healing” than any physical healing that has ever taken place. Is our life so noticeably different that those around us cannot deny there has been a change? Even if they reject God, can they deny His work displayed in our lives?
Christian Life Coach 