Blind man healed

When I was young, once a teacher forbade me to ask a question. That sounds strange, of course, because the schools should stimulate people to ask questions, don’t you think? It’s asking questions is always good!? But… the reality was, that I was asking questions all the time, while I was not really paying attention. I was just hiding my own attitude of being distracted by asking “smart” questions.

In the story of Jesus’ life today, we see people ask questions to Jesus, but Jesus sees the real heart behind it. 

The teachers of Israel ask Jesus a question about a man, who is blind from his birth. People think about punishment. Blindness should be something God has done for sins of the parents. 

Jesus’ reply is: You ask the wrong question. And your focus is too much on the current reality, only this life. Don’t observe from a distance, but see what God does. 

So instead of asking the questions that mislead yourself, Jesus says: Take a look at what God can do or is doing! So don’t try to question everything, but ask Jesus to interfere.

Jesus heals the blind man in a special way. But even then, people are not in awe of what Jesus has done. They stay on a distance. And (in the next chapters) they keep asking questions. 

Maybe this applies to you. You can have questions, but asking a question can also keep you safe. It keeps things on a distance. Many people are asking strong questions about God. Why does this happen? Why does God not interfere?

But instead of asking questions today, try to focus on what God is doing. And ask Jesus to interfere.

Blind man healed

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents’ sin?”

3 Jesus answered, “His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must keep on doing the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”

 

6 After he said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made some mud with the spittle; he rubbed the mud on the man’s eyes 7 and said, “Go and wash your face in the Pool of Siloam.” (This name means “Sent”.) So the man went, washed his face, and came back seeing. 8 His neighbours, then, and the people who had seen him begging before this, asked, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “He is the one,” but others said, “No he isn’t; he just looks like him.” So the man himself said, “I am the man.” 10 “How is it that you can now see?” they asked him. 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made some mud, rubbed it on my eyes, and told me to go to Siloam and wash my face. So I went, and as soon as I washed, I could see.” 12 “Where is he?” they asked. 

 

“I don’t know,” he answered.