I was blind, and now I can see!
For the second time the Pharisees called in the man who had been blind and told him, “God should get the glory for this, because we know this man Jesus is a sinner.” “I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:24-25
The Pharisees were fuming. Jesus had just healed a blind man and they were determined to do anything possible to prove that Jesus hadn’t really healed the man. He confirmed that Jesus had given him back his sight, but they were still unconvinced and so they interviewed the man’s parents. They confirmed that he had been born blind, but had no idea how he had received his sight or who had performed the miracle. John adds that the parents were fearful of the Jewish leaders who had announced that anyone who said that Jesus was the Messiah would be expelled from the synagogue. So the parents tried to brush off the Pharisees by encouraging them to have a word with their son. “He is old enough. Ask him,” they said.
The Pharisees were clearly starting to realise that the healing had indeed taken place. But this presented them with a problem, because the healing had taken place on the sabbath and so, according to their strict rules, that proved that Jesus was a sinner. No faithful Jew, and certainly no Rabbi, would think of doing work on the sabbath. They asked the man for a second time about the healing. Wisely he wasn’t willing to engage with them on exactly who Jesus was. But what he knew for sure was that he used to be blind and now he could see. Nothing in the world could persuade him to say otherwise.
I love this man’s simple, clear testimony. He didn’t want to get mixed up in the Pharisees’ religious or political battles. All he knew was he was a new man. Jesus had transformed his life. If you have given your life to Jesus, you will have your own account of what God has done in you. You may be able to speak of the way that God has walked with you through difficult times and given you his peace and security. You may not know how to answer difficult theological questions, but you know what God has done for you and, like this man, you need to share it.
QUESTION
What would be your quick summary of what Jesus has done for you?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank you for the way in which you have blessed my life. Help me to be ready to share my story, however questioning and dubious others might be. Amen
Artwork by George Jones