Light of the World: Day Fourteen
Sight for the Blind
Read Luke 18:35-43
I was 13 years old when I had to start wearing glasses. I don’t remember the circumstances that led my parents to get me into the optometrist, but I vividly remember the first time I put my glasses on. I had no idea what I had been missing! Suddenly the world became such a sharp and vivid place. I had been living in a haze before and I hadn’t even realized it. I felt like a new person!
While the switch from a fuzzy world to the crisp, sharp vision of glasses was a monumental shift for me, it pales in comparison to the account in Luke 18 of Jesus restoring a man’s sight. At the end of Luke 18 we read about a blind beggar’s encounter with Jesus. This man calls out to Jesus, begging him to have mercy on him. Those around him try to silence him but he persists, and Jesus asks for this man to be brought to him (someone would have had to lead this blind man to Jesus). When Jesus asks the man what he wants, the man presents his request: he wants his sight. Just as we saw with creation, Jesus simply speaks, and the man’s sight is restored.
Jesus says in verse 42, “your faith has made you well.” It’s important to note that the man’s faith in and of itself did not possess the power to heal him, but it was rather who the blind man’s faith was placed in. The blind man had faith that Jesus was the Messiah (he calls him, “Son of David” – a term used for the Messiah). This man believed that Jesus, as the Messiah, had the power to heal him and he was right. As a result of this man receiving his sight, he, and all who observed this miracle, praised God.
Throughout the Gospels we continue to read of many miracles that Jesus performed: water into wine (John 2:1-11), supernatural haul of fish (Luke 5:1-11), healing of a leaper (Mark 1:40-45), raising people from the dead (Luke 7:11-18, Matthew 9:18-26, John 11:1-46) calming the storm (Matthew 8:23-27), casting out demons (Matthew 8:28-34), walking on water (John 6:16-21), healing of an invalid (John 5:1-9), feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:15-21), healing of a deaf and mute man (Mark 7:31-37). This is only a handful of the miracles that are recorded in the Gospels for us. Each one proves over and over again that Jesus is no ordinary man. He is God with us (Immanuel); for only God himself has the power over his creation to suspend natural law. God himself is the only one who can speak, and blind eyes be made to see. As a matter of fact, in giving his purpose statement for writing his Gospel, John says this:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31
The miracles are recorded for us that we too might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. In the same way that the blind man was healed from physical blindness, anyone who has faith in Jesus may be saved and given spiritual sight. Spiritual sight allows us to leave the darkness of sin and walk in obedience to Jesus in the light. Spiritual sight ensures us that though we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) right now, we will one day see Jesus face to face, and our faith shall be made sight.
Frances (Fanny) Jane Crosby was a brilliant and gifted lyricist who lived in the 1800s. There are an astounding 5,500 hymns that are penned in her name, but historians believe that she actually wrote somewhere around 9,000, as she used many pseudonyms to write under. What makes this monumental feat even more incredible is that Fanny Crosby was blind. Fanny used her gifts and talents to glorify Jesus by giving his Church beautiful and theologically rich songs to sing. One of my personal absolute favorites is “Blessed Assurance.” While many would assume that someone born blind would do nearly anything to regain their sight, Fanny had a different perspective. She once said, “If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind…for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Savior.” Fanny looked forward to the day when her faith would be made sight. May we do the same.
Action Point: Consider for a moment the person that led the blind beggar to Jesus. Who is in your sphere of influence that is still walking in darkness? Take a moment to pray for that person (or persons) and ask God for the opportunity and the boldness to gently lead them to Jesus that they too might receive spiritual sight.