John 9:18-21 -- The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”
After talking and praying with the Lord this morning we got back on the road to follow Jesus. The Pharisees were interrogating the ex-blind man over how it happened. The man responds only with the simple truth. Jesus put mud on my eyes, I washed, now I see.
These educated religious men whose entire lives had been dedicated to the Word of God, would use their knowledge and questions as clubs. They attempted to beat the truth they wanted to hear, out of those who didn't agree with their interpretations and traditions. Now, we see them just outright refusing to believe the man had ever been blind.
This really jumped out at me today, they can't crack the man who stands on and speaks only the simple truth. I was blind. Jesus came for me. Now I can see.
Let that sink in. This man who had been blind from birth, an uneducated beggar, has become an immovable rock and problem these religious people could not crack. He brought division to them. He infuriated them to the point where they refused to even believe he was blind.
How?
Because he chose to state the simple truth and not move from it. This meant it was Jesus they were coming up against, not the man. If the man had offered up explanations or opinions they would've torn Him apart, but He just kept standing on and speaking the truth of Jesus. It was Jesus they battled with. It was Jesus that vexed them. It was Jesus who made the man unbreakable because Jesus was all the man knew. I was blind. Jesus came for me. Now I see.
I know there are some great Christian apologists out there and that's excellent. They can go toe to toe and argue for God, the Bible, Jesus, from a logical and reasoned perspective. They can stand in universities or debates answering the most complex arguments and attacks against God. But not everyone is an apologist and that's okay.
This man who was formerly blind surely wasn't. I know I'm not an apologist. It's interesting this comes up today. Recently some things of my old self, the Phillip before Jesus, had risen up. Trying to tear me down and pull me backwards. One of those things was self-hatred revolving around not being smart or educated enough. There was a fear trying to creep in of not being able to stand up to those who knew more, had degrees, and could deftly form and execute arguments.
Christian, here's what I know. I was blind. Jesus showed up, I believed, I repented, I accepted Him as savior and Lord. Now I see. Now I walk with Him every day. Now He is my everything and His Word is all I know to stand on and speak.
This was quite the adventure today with the Lord. He held my hand and walked through some very deep things today. I couldn't begin to convey it here. Just wow.
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
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