I’m not the warm fuzzy teacher that kids bring their problems too. There’s a place for me in that world; I’m an effective teacher (at least, I haven’t been fired yet). My kind are needed, but I have to remember I teach students, not history. But I’m better than I was. God is working on me. In fact, my life is pretty neatly captured by the story of Jesus and a blind man in Mark 8. But I’m better than I was. God is working on me. In fact, my life is pretty neatly captured by the story of Jesus and a blind man in Mark 8.
So Jesus is in Bethsaida, and they bring a blind man to Him to be healed. Jesus takes him by the hand, and leads him out of the village. He spits on the man’s eyes, and puts His hands on him, and asks what the man can see. “People, but they look like trees,” is the reply. He’s gone from blind to near-sighted. Accordingly, Jesus puts His hands on him again, and the man can see clearly. Jesus tells him to go home and not back into the village. (Mark 8:22-26)
That’s a strange story. Since when does Jesus need to do a miracle in two steps? What seems to be going on is Jesus setting out a living parable for us. Before we meet him, we live in darkness, blind to spiritual truths like our need of a savior and our sin. (II Corinthians 4:4). But when Jesus touches our lives, we gain sight in His glorious light (II Corinthians 4:5-6). Our eyes are opened to the truth, to the gospel, to our need.
But we don’t see all things clearly, at first. We don’t instantly have everything figured out. We have blind spots; to change the metaphor, we have growing to do in Christ. (Psalm 19:12, Hebrews 5:11-14) We won’t be perfect until we’re in Christ’s presence; then we will see all things perfectly (Phillipians 1:6, I Corinthians 13:8-12)
What I’ve just described is the process of sanctification, where we have a position of being justified and sanctified, but our practice doesn’t match our position. We grow, and we see things more clearly as we mature in Christ, but it’s a process that won’t be complete until we see Him face to face (I John 3:1-3) Just as the man received sight, but was near-sighted, we are saved, but not seeing all things clearly. But Jesus is not satisfied with that; only perfection will do. That will come; it’s guaranteed (Phillipians 1:6)
A real man is willing to admit he doesn’t have everything together; that he has some messiness and rough edges and is sometimes wrong. Face it - we all need to grow. We are all nearsighted.
But there’s more to the story of Jesus and the blind man. Note that he took the man by the hand and led him. Jesus preached to thousands at times, but he also had time for just one guy. He gave the man all the time needed. He led the blind man out of Bethsaida, partly because he had condemned Bethsaida earlier in his ministry for their lack of faith, and He was through with them. But partly too it was to get away from ministering to the crowds, to just spend time with one guy in need.
A real man sees individuals, and cares. You can’t just have an abstract love for mankind; you need to have a down in the dirt and mud and messiness-of-individual-lives love for people. we can’t be so busy in our business we don’t have time for people. We can’t love in the abstract. Remember the Christmas Carol, Dicken’s story of Scrooge. Marley, his old business partner confronts Scrooge’s greed and selfishness and coldness for people, and laments that he was that way himself in life. Scrooge says, “You were always a good man of business.” Marley erupts: “Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. "Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
FOR THOUGHT:
- Are you willing to admit you’re wrong? Do you understand you’re still growing?
- What are your blind spots? It’s hard to know – that’s why we call them blind spots! Are you willing to pray to God to reveal them to you? Or ask your wife and kids?
- Do you see people? Would you rather build up your career or build up people? Which one will last?
Written By: Tim Barsuhn
