Our Sunday School class spent some time in John 9 this week which tells the story of the blind beggar healed by Jesus.
When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam". So he went away and washed and came back seeing. - John 9: 6-7
We discussed how Jesus didn't need the mud, he didn't need the saliva. He could have healed with a mere thought, but he chose to use dust and saliva as instruments for His miracle. I noticed Jesus doing something in this story that we see Him do often throughout scripture.
He told the man to "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." He had touched the blind man and then instructed the beggar to do something, to GO. He had given a gift and then asked for obedience. Throughout scripture Jesus often sent people to do something after they encountered Him in a miraculous way.
I wonder why?
Does He just need the power trip to see how high people will jump when He asks? No, I don't think that's it at all, I think there's another reason, and possibly many others, but the reason that comes to my mind is so like my Savior. It is a reason that is completely giving and unselfish.
Why would He tell Him to go?
Could it be so that He could touch more people? Could it be to multiply His message.
Yes, that sounds like my Savior.
The people there had seen this part of the story, and the peopor near the pool of Siloam had not. He was able to reach two crowds by sending the man on. He knew human nature would be to tell the story, and maybe that's why he used the dust and saliva, it made the story interesting and retell-able.
Yes, that sounds just like my Savior.
Going to great lengths to reach just. one. more.
What's not surprising to me is that the man went. He had encountered Hope for wholeness and had been touched. He did what he was told and was obedient. It begs me to ask myself ......
Why, when I have experienced His touch and sensed His urge to go or do something have I not done it?
Was my heart less thankful? Maybe.
Was my story not as retell-able? Not really.
He probably had to travel 1/3 to 1/2 of a mile to get to the pool, and for a blind man, that would have been difficult and would have required him to believe, to have faith. He was a beggar, a social outcast, and most likely people weren't going to be helpful and guide him in the correct direction while he traveled blindly to the pool. He would have had no one but himself and the instructions of the One who touched him. He would have struggled, but he was determined to do what he had been told.
He pushed through difficult and refused to settle. He was not content with continuing to live with what he already knew.
That's where my story and his are different. I don't like difficult and sometimes I settle for what I already know instead of facing difficult. Sometimes I procrastinate what I know I've been told. Sometimes my Savior is not allowed to be the final authority in my decision making, I'm sad to say. Most of the time it's me.
I can't read this story without being reminded of something that happened in our house when the girls where little. God used what happened in this little exchange to teach me something then, and He used it again this week as I re-looked at John 9. Here's what happened -
The girls were probably about 2 and 4 years old. I stood in the laundry room working and they were in there with me. My back was to them as I worked and they played. Suddenly, a sound coming from their direction perked my ears a bit. It was the sound of nothing other than SPITTING.
I quickly turned on my heel toward them as my pointer finger took its mommy position. "Did you just spit ?!?!" I asked.
"Yes," my four-year-old answered matter-of-factly.
"I don't know where you saw that, but we don't SPIT in this house, especially on your sister! And I better not catch you doing that again!"
The matter of fact four year old quickly responded, "Well, Jesus spit in that man's eyes."
I took a deep breath to quickly collect my thoughts, she was right. Where was I going to go with this? THer had to be a solution. I folded my arms and replied, "Yes, but Jesus was performing a miracle, and you. were. NOT! So don't do that anymore."
The blind man found authority in His words.
Do I?
Do you sometimes struggle with stepping out blindly uncertain of the terrain, having nothing to go on other than the word He has spoken? Not sure if the direction is exactly right?
I do too. Maybe we can do this thing togehter. The blind leading the blind until we get to the place where our eyes can see what He had in mind all along.
XOXO,
Amy
PS Check out Vintage Christmas here. I would love for you to join me and other Jesus girls for a wonderful Christmas afternoon! Deadline to register is November 24, and psssst....it's free!
