SCRIPTURE: John 9
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
As he 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?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. [John 9:1-3]
The connecting theme for this chapter is “blindness”.
Jesus starts by making it clear that not all suffering is the direct result of sin; God allows the sin and suffering that we unleashed in this world to impact people in different ways for a purpose.
He did not cause this man to be born blind – it is the natural consequence of living in a sin-twisted world – but He did steer things in a specific direction for a specific purpose – to reveal Himself to people.
The healing of this blind man was a part of God’s plan to reveal Jesus as the Messiah – anyone with “eyes to see” could understand that this a9dn many other miracles) confirmed Jesus’ claims to be the promised messiah.

This simple, uneducated man figures it out [John 9:38]; he has a simple testimony; “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” [John 9:25]
But the educated religious leaders could not see it.
They are full of pride, full of themselves, who would dare challenge or lecture them: “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out. [John 9:34]
Claiming to know better, they are blind to Jesus: now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. [John 9:41]

Why is it that the message of God and Jesus seems to take root among the uneducated masses, while the “educated” often look down with condescension at primitive , gullible believers.
I have met people who snicker at me (and believers) who still believe those old fairy tales; they have attained intellectual maturity, they know better!
We live in a society that prides itself on its intellectual and technological advancements; we have evolved beyond primitive dependence on the ‘gods’; we rational, wise, educated!
We are blind…
We are still slaves to greed, pride, selfishness; we are still wrecking God’s world and abusing the weak.
Despite all our attempts to ‘evolve’ beyond our weakness, we still are rushing headlong into disaster.
Is the world getting better and better?

As long as we think we can see on our own, we reveal our folly and blindness.
Things will not get better until we repent, admit our guilt and shame (collectively and individually) and seek God’s help to open our eyes and see things as they really are.
For that we too need a miracle, for we too are born blind – spiritually blind.
And for that miracle to happen, we need Jesus to come into our lives, to open our eyes, so that we can say:
“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” [John 9:25]

PRAYER:
Lord, “amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”