Monday, February 15, 2010

Spiritually blind

I was reading John 9 last night John 9:41 states "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."

As I took a closer look at the chapter, I noticed a familiar presence in the responses of those invovled. There is a man, who has been blinded from birth. The Disciples come to Jesus looking for answers.

Jesus takes what is in front of Him and uses it to glorify God. He responds "I am the light of the world." He heals the man.

The disciples took what was in front of them and started looking for someone to blame. "Was it the parent's sin or this man's sin that caused him to be blind from birth?"

The people who knew the man, didn't rejoice for the sight of thier friend. They took him before the Pharisee's because he was healed on the Sabbath.

The Pharisee's were divided over the sight of the blind man. Was it sin for healing on the Sabbath or a miracle from God?

The Jewish leaders didn't believe. They cursed the man.

The parent's were afraid of the personal consequences to themselves. They told those questioning them to go back to the son for answers.

The man that was healed, proclaimed the truth and the revelation that came to him. He worshipped Jesus.

As I thought about these responses, all to the same situation - I realized how much things stay the same. We are all exposed to the same Light that opened the blinded eyes.

Some respond as the disciples did, trying to place blame - like Adam in the garden "It was the woman YOU gave me." Or we blame our actions and inactions on the past hurts or others>

Others start comparing, and try to get a "One-Up" on someone else. "Look what HE did on the Sabbath, we would never do that." We compare what we do or don't do to what someone else is doing wrong, to make ourselves look better.

Others try to split hairs like the Pharisee's. The blinded man could see. It didn't matter if they wanted to call it a miracle or a sin, it didn't change the face he could see. We try to argue points, to the point of denomination and church splits, that do not change the facts.

Some respond with disbelief and blatant hatred and cursing like the Jewish leaders. There are people who when presented with the truth and then just refuse to accept it and have nothing but ugly things to say.

Other's know the truth, like the parents. They are more concerned about what it will cost them if they speak openly about it. There are those who have a head knowledge, but are more concerned about what they might have to give up to walk in the truth, what other's might think, or what it might cost them.

But then there is that one, whose life was personally touched. The one whose eyes were opened. The one who can not deny the change. The one whose very life stands as a testimony to the goodness of God. The one who worships God with their whole life. The one who had a personal revelation of the truth of Christ. Lord help me to be the one who once was blind but now I see, not one who claims to see but is really spiritually blind.

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