Most blind people see light. Physicians measure blindness, like most physical conditions, on a sort of continuum. Blindness refers to a severe state of visual impairment, but rarely does it mean total darkness. The overwhelming majority of those considered blind have some light perception.
Forgive the pun, but this may help “shed light” on John 9, the story of the blind beggar. Jesus spat on the ground and worked it into mud. He then covered the beggar’s eyes and told him go to the pool of Siloam and wash, which he did. However near or far away the pool was from where they were standing, there is no indication the man had any help getting there. I had wondered how Jesus could have expected the man to find the pool, being not only blind, but also with eyes covered in mud. Surely God gave him enough light to find his way, for he “came back seeing” (9:7).
We must always be careful to pull from Scripture, not add to it. So we cannot know for sure if this beggar had physical light perception or not, but we do know that he had spiritual light perception. The man had enough spiritual vision to trust Jesus’ instruction and follow it. The beggar had the faith to obey Jesus, who would only ask him to do that which He Himself would enable the man to accomplish.
We all are as blind beggars. We cannot see well enough to do anything besides beg for mercy, for direction, and for help. But are we willing to step out in faith to obey Jesus’ instruction? Do we trust Him to enable us to do that which He has called us to do? The Bible repeatedly reveals the pattern of God’s intervention following man’s submission. God responds in mercy to man’s steps of faith.
The disciples asked what the reason was for the man’s blindness. Jesus explained that his blindness was not a result of anyone’s sin, but “that the works of God might be displayed in him” (9:3). To display God’s work should be our highest aim and our greatest joy. If so, then as difficult as it is to walk in blindness, we should embrace this type of walking, trusting that in His way, in His power and in His time, His amazing works will be displayed through our journeys.
Most obviously, God’s work is evidenced by the one walking from utter darkness into His marvelous light of truth and love. My life story displays this great work, of one moving from a darkening path to a “brighter walk”. But there are daily instances of blindness that I often do not recognize, much less embrace, as purposed to display God’s miraculous work.
Daily, I am blind to the future in every area of life: My college daughter who has her whole life before her, my mother who struggles with cancer, my husband whose job presents new challenges than just a few years ago, my ministry which could morph in a thousand directions at the will of God, and my every other chapter yet to be written. But my God will provide the light for my way, enabling me to see enough to take the next step of my journey. My choice is to take the step, to believe in His word of direction and to trust in His promise of light.
This morning, I studied this story of the blind beggar from John 9 . Not coincidentally, before I opened my Bible and after praying to hear God’s voice, an old hymn landed upon my heart. I had no idea I’d be reading about the blind beggar when this familiar song came to mind. The words and tune so pronounced, I took out my hymnal and sang: “Be Thou My Vision”. I leave you with this song of prayer in my own contemporary language:
Lord, be my vision, oh God of my heart.
Let all be as nothing, except that you art –
My guiding focus all day and at night,
Awake or asleep, your presence, my light.
“Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’” -John 8:12
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