“1 And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. … 15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. … 20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: … 24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner [or no], I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear [it] again? will ye also be his disciples? 28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spake unto Moses: [as for] this [fellow], we know not from whence he is.30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and [yet] he hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him” John 9:1-7, 15-18, 20, 24-38.
This story is amazing to me. It reveals man’s heart and inability to change as pride prevents them from receiving. It is heart-warming to see someone who was deemed a sinner by man, but instead chosen by the Father to manifest His work in the earth. Man’s judgements are meaningless and contradictory to what is the Father because man does not know the Father intimately enough to recognize the ways of the Him, which are higher than ours. The simplicity of the word and the understanding of it becomes the very thing that reveals the heart of man. This man born blind, healed by Jesus, used the teachings to bring forth truth that revealed the false accusations of the Pharisees to ridicule Jesus. The so-called unlearned, the so-called sinner…all man’s judgements and labels, not the Father’s…schooled them…*mic dropped* on them, lol! It’s sad though the response was so invalid, so unweighted, and full of nothing to challenge him. In fact, they tore him down in order to feel puffed up again, when it truly did nothing but reveal their pride. Here is another piece for them…God resisteth the proud…oh but I’m a sinner, how can I teach them? LOL. Meaningless! And here is the best part, Jesus returned after he was cast out by the Pharisees, to ask if he believed on the Son of God…he didn’t even know it was Jesus! He stuck up and defended Jesus without even knowing who He was! It gets better, his parents knew that it could be and out of fear they put their son out there to speak for himself because they could be kicked out…which happened to their son (John 9:22-see below). With that said, there was a potential He could be the Christ, but he didn’t know, and he didn’t care, he was healed! It’s amazing how miracles can bring needed attention to the one who performs the miracles. The miracle is the outcome of the Father’s love, it is the surrendering and coming to know Him that resulted in that miracle being manifested. It draws men and women unto Him. It was never about the miracle; it was about the heart and relationship with the Father.
Be like this young man who was healed and challenge the world through the simplicity of the life of Jesus, the foundation in which we live to confound the wise. How many of us who know Jesus still do not stand? How many of us are fearful of the ridicule? I am not talking about debating the Word with the world, I am simply questioning, how many of us truly testify of the goodness of the Father despite who is around? Do we hide because we fear the response of man? Know who’s you are!
“These [words] spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue” John 9:22.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” James 4:6.
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty” I Corinthians 1:27.