Time to wash again with the precious Word of God! Let's pick up where
we left off last time with the blind man - oops, we can't call him that
anymore, for he can SEE now! Well then, let's follow him around on his
first day with new eyes and find out what it was like for him as we read
John chapter 9, verses 8-11:
The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was
blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he:
others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they
unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that
is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go
to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received
sight.
Have any of you ladies ever observed a blind person? There is a certain
manner in which they go about… Each step is carefully taken and at a cautious
pace; they hold their head a certain way because their ears are helping
them along in their surroundings; they grope along with their hands more
than the average person would when just coming or going somewhere. Occasionally
blind persons stumble and fall over that which they cannot see. They might
even need the assistance of those around them to be properly redirected
on their path. There is a distinct difference to their countenance, for
their faces fail to exhibit the expression of one who is visually affected
by their surroundings. Yes, it is easy to identify a blind person in the
crowd just in their overall appearance.
Isaiah 59:10 (KJV)
We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes:
we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead
men.
In all probability, the neighbors of our blind man were used to seeing
him behave likewise around his house. Daily they viewed his pattern of
comings and goings and became quite familiar with the habits of their
handicapped neighbor. He was also a beggar, as this was his only means
of support. I'm sure that many of the townspeople frequently passed by
him on the streets in their journeys, most which were now accustomed to
witnessing the typical mannerisms of the blind. What could a sightless
person do all day but sit and beg? Perhaps some of them had even dropped
a coin or two in his cup as he leaned in the direction of their footsteps...
But not today - today was different!! After applying clay and spittle
to his eyes, Jesus had sent the blind man to the pool of Siloam to wash
and he came back SEEING! Praise the Lord – he was a new man! No more sitting
around and no more begging!! There was a new pace to his gait; he didn't
walk timidly, he didn't need help, he didn't grope, he didn't cock his
head to hear more clearly, his countenance sported the expression of a
SEEING man! I can imagine that he nodded and greeted heartily everyone
he passed by, his face lit up with the evidence of the miracle that just
took place in his life. He laughed, he smiled, he cried, he sang, he skipped,
he whistled. His head must have spun in every direction as he took in
the beauty of his bright environment. For the first time in his life he
reached out and purposely touched those things that caught his eye, no
longer having to fumble about in darkness….
Yes, this man was now a monument to the miracle of God in his life! Isn't
it wonderful to observe the marvelous way God works, to observe the unique
methods He chooses to work by? Souls go away weak, and come back strengthened;
go mourning, and come away rejoicing; go away blind and come back seeing!
Yes, there is an evident change that takes place each and every time we
meet with Jesus - and obey His Word!
Deut. 11:26-28 (KJV)
Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing,
if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you
this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord
your God....
Since meeting up with Christ, what obvious changes have occurred in your
life that your neighbors can observe? Your family members? Your co-workers?
Your church family? Hopefully your old habits have changed and with them
the pattern your life was taking. Are you coming back distinctly different
in character after spending time with Christ? Our healed blind man did
not yet know Jesus personally, for he had only been healed physically.
Nevertheless, by his obedience he was better qualified to care for himself….
Yet we who are saved should certainly be the ones who evidence a sincere
change of heart, amen? Is your countenance reflective of the new life
within you, or are you still pokerfaced? What new activities are you involved
in now that you have received your sight from Christ? You're not still
groping about in darkness, are you Christian woman? You don’t still need
the continual assistance of others in your walk with the Lord, do you?
Do you require constant redirection, someone to place you back onto the
proper path because you wander off track so easily? Have you fallen into
a ditch and just remained there? You aren't still sitting around begging
provisions from those around you, I hope! If you're saved, you can SEE
- it's time to start doing things for yourself! Stop and think about it
today… When viewed in a crowd, would you be mistaken for a blind man,
or a seeing man?? Get up and walk and prove the miracle that has taken
place in your heart! Prove by your testimony that you have met with Christ
and been washed in the blood of the Lamb!
Psalm 19:7 (KJV)
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of
the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
Get ready ladies, because when godliness is strongly evident in your life
the questions will come from folks around you. They are going to wonder
if that is really you! Those that have known you prior to Christ are going
to start talking about it amongst themselves… “Is that her?” “Is that
him?” “Is that them?” “They just aren't the same; they are walking, talking,
and carrying themselves quite differently now! What happened to them?”
Eventually folks in your sphere of influence will come to you and ask,
"HOW were thine eyes opened?" And what will your answer be, dear lady?
Don't panic, you don't have to say much - just tell them WHO opened your
eyes! I find it interesting to note that the blind man's name is never
mentioned throughout this account, nor was the name of his family - but
Christ's name was prominent, just as it should be in each of our examples…
Psalm 34:3 (KJV)
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.
You see ladies, the world always asks the wrong questions about the changes
they see in our lives. They want to know HOW you did it. But what they
don't understand is that the miracles that take place in our lives as
children of God are because of a WHO! And that "Who" is not you or anybody
else – it is Jesus Christ! He is the hope in our handicaps, amen? Remember
that when you have opportunity to share your testimony... Don't complicate
or confuse the truth by promoting philosophy or program - it's WHO that
is needed! It's Jesus! Our lives cannot be transformed without Him, amen?
Be sure you are answering person’s inquiries humbly and accurately…
1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give
an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in
you with meekness and fear:
We can learn so much from this example of the SEEING man, and will continue
to do so in the next few studies. Through his handicap, he has provided
hope for others. He put things clearly and simply to those that curiously
inquired of the miracle that took place in his life. He didn't know much,
but all he knew was that a man that is called Jesus told him what to do
and he did it and he greatly profited! Yes, he only knew Jesus as a man
at this point but what little he did know, he shared. To us Christians,
Jesus is MORE than just a man - He is our Savior, amen? Consider today
how much you know of Christ, dear lady. Now consider how much of what
you know you are really sharing… Why can't we, as this previously blind
man did, speak out without apprehension for Jesus, our Savior??
1 John 1:5 (KJV)
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Ladies, please don't think that you have to develop some long, drawn out,
psychological, impressive dissertation of how you became a Christian before
you can talk of salvation to others, or even converse of the good things
of God. Your testimony should plainly and simply be filled with the story
of WHO altered your life, of WHO healed your infirmities… This was the
testimony of our blind man’s first day of renewal… How much testifying
have you done since meeting a man called Jesus? It's a candle you carry
that lights another's darkness...
Matthew 16:15 (KJV)
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004
