Some Things Never Change (Part 1)

Scripture:  And Jesus said, “For  judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”  Jn. 9:39 (NKJV)

F.B. Meyer is quoted as saying, “Unbelief puts circumstances between itself and Christ, so as to not see Him.”  I was reminded of that quote while slowly reading John, chapter nine, the account of Christ’s healing of a blind man.  As with many lost souls today and down through the ages, the hard-heartedness of the Pharisees was clearly shown in their nit-picking in the face of an awesome miracle—the restoration of physical and soon afterwards the spiritual sight of a man—just because it was done on a Sabbath!  The only somewhat commendable thing that I can say about those Pharisees is that they at least made an attempt to do a bit of investigating— which is more than most mockers and scoffers do today!   “They called the parents of him who had received his sight, and they asked them, “Is this your son?”  (Jn. 9:18, 19)    One has to wonder if their investigative zeal had extended to the true identity of  Christ Jesus, perhaps their SPIRITUAL eyes would have been opened for the first time!  

Fear of people-disapproval is but another timeless emotional ailment that we must banish, post-haste!  The Bible speaks of the fear that the blind man’s parents had in verbally acknowledging the miracle performed by Jesus.  How many people today demonstrate by their words and behavior a kind of reluctance, or even timidity, when it comes to acknowledging Christ’s unmistakable presence and influence in their lives?  They, like us, at times have a greater fear in their heart about man’s revilement toward them for identifying with Christ than they do about fearing a lost opportunity to glorify Him! Remember the warning found in Mark 8:38?  We must, as Christ followers, make up our minds to not be intimidated in these antichristian times by a fear of man!  The fear of man, after all, brings a snare, warns Proverbs 29:25.    

Prayer:  Dear Father, thank You for opening our blind eyes and saving our souls one day when we were floundering about, looking for truth, security, enduring love and acceptance in all the wrong places.  In Jesus’ precious name—Amen!

(By Denise Diggs)