Eeeouch…
I hold back the grimace of pain as I walk through the dining room quietly making my way to the porch. Everyone is asleep and to let my expression of anguish be expressed too loudly would certainly not be appreciated by family members that are in the midst of deep sleep in the blackness of the night. As I pull my boots on I am reminded of the collision that my little toe had with the leg of the table. Walking blindly in the pitch black of midnight had taken its toll.
The other day, I talked with a friend of the failing eyesight of their dog. The once very capable canine that showed bravery in the face of trouble was now nonchalantly walking into walls. The pet’s owner tried not to laugh, but yet was amused at first by these actions. This old pooch was becoming blind and what was easily seen was now becoming fuzzy or not even seen due to failing eyesight. In the end, it was no longer amusing and became quite a concern.
Robin and Rachel tell of a time when they found themselves riding horseback a couple miles from home and the darkness of night had overtaken them. They were riding through the break believing they were heading to the proper gate. They had just given a loose rein to their horses, because they were not able to see and they giving their horses their head, they felt more at ease. Robin and Rachel tell of how their horses came to an abrupt stop. They sort of got after their horses cueing them to go ahead, but when they wouldn’t, Rachel dismounted and gingerly walked forward only to find that they were at the edge of a steep bank that dropped off abruptly.
I could continue telling of events when we have been essentially blind, not being able to see anything because of the darkness. One can find themselves in trouble especially when he does not acknowledge the shortcoming
We have been doing a study of the book of John. We just finished chapter nine, where we reviewed the account of Jesus healing the man that was blind and had been that way since he was born. In this situation, Jesus made a mud by mixing his saliva with the dust of the ground. That may sound a little grotesque, but in that day, saliva was often used as and eye ointment. Jesus proceeded to spread the mud on the blind man’s eyes and then He directed the handicapped gentleman to go and wash in a certain pool. Taking Jesus at his word he followed the directive, washed in the pool and he was miraculously healed if this lifelong infirmity which he had endured.
This caused quite a stir in the Synagogue. Jesus had healed this man on the Sabbath in the midst of a crowd of people that vehemently opposed not only his actions but who he claimed to be.
Now, I going to take issue with some longstanding statements. Many times we refer to these people as being religious and theologians. I say “Hogwash”. We read in the New Testament of what true religion is. Caring for the widows, orphans and less fortunate is the definition given. These people were certainly not religious, but rather they were enslaved into a system of their own selfish ignorance and making. And to consider them theologians… Theology is the “study of God”…. Hardly the case here. For their own heart had become their god.
We read in John nine that these people were spiritually blind. They were enslaved to the darkness based upon a decision to ignore Jesus… God Himself standing in front of them. As the blind man had to go in faith and wash in the pool to have his sight restored physically, so these Pharisees holed up in the synagogue had to harken to voice of God, to repent and realize a bright new world was available. But most chose to wallow in the dismal danger of the darkness. The good news is some were coming into the light and could say as the blind man… “All I know is that I once was blind but now I see.”
We would have thought that the man that endured blindness since the day he was born would be foolish if he chose to ignore Jesus. But many of us are doing that daily as we continue to walk in a way that is shrouded in darkness. Jesus said “I am the light of the world”
Darkness is a hazard, blindness can overwhelm…
What is your choice today?