Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When I’m making hospital visits for our members or constituents with the public safety departments I can’t always dress up like I do on Sunday’s. That’s probably why some people ask for my ID or business card so that they can see that I am a pastor. When any of us act in Christ-like ways of loving kindness and forgiveness, then that is how Jesus says we glorify God and prove our real identity as Christians.
I hope some of you read my Steeple article for this Sunday and reflected on the similarities of this Gospel story and 1 Samuel 16:1-13 where David was selected to be king of Israel. God instructed Samuel: “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature . . . for the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
There were probably other blind people who made contact with Jesus, but this man was used “to glorify God” as Jesus explained. The Greek word for glorify is also used to make a “judgment about someone’s personal worth.” This means that those who truly see God’s presence in the life of Jesus Christ will make the right judgment about Jesus beyond the healing and miracles that He performs.
Samuel glorified God by following divine direction to choose the least likely David. The supremely chosen Messiah chose the least likely blind man from birth to glorify God and show how much He loves each one of us.
David didn’t look much like a king and Jesus didn't look much like a Savior to some people. When Jesus came to his hometown of Nazareth to teach in the synagogue, the people asked one another, "Isn't this Joseph's son" (Luke 4:22)? Even though many people saw His miracles and healing and heard His teaching, Jesus’ own hometown folk thought that He just looked like the carpenter's kid.
The once blind man proved that he was a true follower of Jesus, especially while the Pharisees were questioning him. His light was shining before others as one who was thankful and truthful about what had happened to him.
My friend, Arnold Smith, has experienced a very different kind of blindness in his life. He is now an associate pastor in Selma, but he used to be a professional basketball player. His success in sports, in business and with different women had blinded him to the truth of his miserable life. In 1998 he robbed a bank with three other men, because he was blind to how he was manipulated by others who said it couldn’t be done.
5 minutes of temporary egotistical blindness resulted in 5 years of prison and being away from people who loved and cared for him. While in prison, he obeyed Jesus like the blind man was healed of his moral and spiritual blindness through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. It was like Jesus had spit on the muddy life style he had been living and he only had to obey and wash his eyes in a prison cell.
Recently, Arnold discovered that his 14 year old daughter, whom he had raised since birth is not really his biological child. And a few weeks later a woman from his professional sports era disclosed he had fathered another daughter, whom another man had supported for 12 years. The healing miracle is that he is now able to support both girls and consider them both his own, while maintaining a steady marriage to his current wife (Mea), a beautiful baby boy (Aaron), and a full time ministry. The Pastor of the church in which he is an Associate was the manager of the bank he robbed.
Arnold says, ‘No one can tell me that Love doesn’t work! I am not only a living witness but proof ! God is Love! Love never fails!”
Dear Heavenly Father, just as You gave sight to Arnold and the blind man in our gospel story, please remove whatever blindness we have in our life. Lord God, You promised that when we desire truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part You shall make each one of to know wisdom (Psalm 51:6). Help us to see clearly before we stumble for a life-time or even blindly walk away from Your eternal heavenly light. Save us LORD – for Your love never fails, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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