Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, He laid His hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.”
Mark chapter 8, verses 23 and 24; from the New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus and his rag-tag band of disciples arrived in Bethsaida and almost immediately a group of people brought this blind man to Jesus and said, “Heal him!” You do understand, don’t you, that they weren’t trying to help this blind man. They just wanted to see another miracle. In other words, “Entertain us Jesus with something spectacular!” But Jesus denies their request. Instead He takes the man outside of town and then proceeds to spit in the man’s eyes. What? Doesn’t spitting on someone a sign of contempt and disgust? It can mean that; but did you know that it is also a sign of getting rid of the bad stuff, the evil? And Jesus proceeds to get rid of that “bad stuff” in this man’s life.
“Can you see anything now?” That’s a great question Jesus asked of that man. And it’s the same question He is posing to us. It’s not like the question an optometrist asks about that eye chart. No, it’s much deeper; it’s about perspective. And this man shares with us his perspective: “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” Now on to my point this morning. I have 2 questions for you, the reader.
Question 1: Can you see people? Unless you are literally blind, your answer is clearly a YES! Now that’s just surface stuff. I’m talking about really seeing other people. Are you seeing them as people of worth? With potential? Do you see their pains? Problems? Despair? If not, then they simply look like trees walking around. Face it, it’s easier to look away from a homeless person that it is to see them clearly.
Question 2: Can you see God? Do you see clearly how He longs to make you whole and complete? Do you see how sad He is when you follow after your wants and desires? Do you see how heartbroken He is when He gives you that opportunity to let another person see Him, but you just walk away? Do you see the wonder and power of His Gracious Love and all that He has to offer you? Or does He look like trees walking around?
My friends, thinking we are right, we can be wrong. Thinking we have it all together, we could be falling apart. Thinking we are on the right path, we may be walking farther away from The Father. Maybe it’s time we got honest with God, and ourselves. Admit where we aren’t seeing things clearly. If we will, then Jesus will do the same thing for us that He did for that man so long ago: “Then Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.” Oh, that WE would see people, things, and situations the way God see them: Opportunities For The Greatest Hope Of All!
Kingdom Pastor 