Able To See
As he walked 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?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born
blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of
him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long
as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he
spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s
eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then
he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors and those who had
seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit
and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is
someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him,
“Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud,
spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and
washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do
not know.”
John 9:1-12
Why is it that when we hear about someone who is suffering, we are
more interested in the details of it than how we can help?
When the disciples passed the blind beggar, their curiosity was
about why he was suffering, not how they could help. Lurking under the surface
was a judgmental question of who had sinned, or who was to blame.
Jesus gave His compassionate response. Rather than speculate and
condemn, He marshaled His resources to help, which in this case meant complete
healing. He made it clear that the man’s blindness was intended to provide a
moment for God to be magnified through Jesus’ compassionate touch. If you feel
curious about somebody’s problem, shift into Jesus’ mode and move past the
point of curiosity and get to the point of need. Reach out and touch the pain.
Show the compassionate love of Jesus in action.
Do you want to be like Jesus? Replace
curiosity with compassion.
Our Daily Bread – October 4, 2008