Open My Eyes To See As You See

Yesterday, we looked at the story of the blind man that Jesus healed.

I imagine the blind man in the Gospel story was very confused by what Jesus was doing.

He is sitting at the roadside, where his family has probably lead him every day for as long as he can remember.

He hears a crowd coming closer. He probably hears them talking about him. He pretends that he doesn't hear what they are saying.

Then he hears the familiar sound of spit being hurled his way.

Now some man is wiping something on his eyes and tells him to go wash.

There is something in the man's voice that tells him to trust this man and to do what he says.

But if nothing else he figures he needs to get this mud off his eyes. I wonder how much he actually believed this would heal him, or if he thought this man was just another crazy person.

I can imagine that when he came up from the water it was a shock to him.

The lights would have been so bright. The colors so vivid.

It was probably a blinding sight. But I doubt he would've wanted to close his eyes ever again.

The thing that struck me was that at the end of the story, Jesus turns it around and points towards the Pharisees and calls them blind. Even worse though, that they are blind, but proclaim that they are the only ones who truly see.

How easy it is for us to do the same today.

We as Christians easily slip into condemning those around us for their every wrong, but never see where we are slipping up.

We also get so blinded by our judgement of others, that we fail to see those around us who are hurting and need to feel God's love and grace.

It's easier for us to say that you are a sinner and turn away from you, than for us to get down in the dirt with you and do our best to help you up.

As I was writing this, the song Hosanna by Hillsong UNITED came on.

I think I'll end here with the bridge of that song. It says my prayer better than I can. Let this be our prayer as Christians and as a church.

"Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause

As I walk from earth into eternity"