24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner." 25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!" 26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?" 28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out. 

The accusers of the blind man were not at all concerned about him or about the truth of what happened to him. They were proud of their theology, their education, their status, their power, and their religious training.  Their pride kept them from seeing Jesus as the Son of God. They asked the man a second time about the details of his healing.  Perhaps they would find something else for which to criticize or condemn Jesus, but they couldn't escape the fact that the man was totally, physically blind and now he was healed by the supernatural powers of Jesus. 

The man who was blind challenged them to open their own eyes. He asked how Jesus could receive just such power unless it was by divine power.  The man's eyes were opened and so was his understanding of who Jesus must be.  No one could open eyes blind from birth. Since God heard him then Jesus must be from God. This infuriated the Jews.

What was the power of this man's witness?  He had changed and he knew it and wasn't afraid to tell people the truth. He didn't need to understand all doctrine or comprehend all the answers to his doubts. He was living proof of a living and powerful God. He told his story. All he needed to do was to trust what he understood.  All the opinions in the world would not change this man's mind, because simply put, "I was blind, and now I see".  He gave God the glory.  It worked for Him.

Jesus is worth following.  People could say anything they wanted . They could debate, argue, read Greek, Hebrew, and hieroglyphics. They could have committee meetings and hold councils, and test-tube experiments, but it all came down to one final argument as far as the man was concerned, "I was blind, and now I see." People could believe him or not.  They could think what they wanted to about Jesus, but he experienced God’s power and freedom from that which had kept him in darkness all his life.  Nobody can deny that. What difference does it matter that others say and think. Jesus made him whole.

Have you experienced the reality of Jesus in your life?  Your witness is what God has done for you.  Tell others of your experience and how God has affected your life and leave it at that.  Nobody can deny it and if they do, it really doesn't make a difference.  Truth is not truth because people vote on it. Truth is truth based on what is revealed.  That is why I found an article in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune a few years ago both funny and sad.  .

How prideful!  They don't make up the rules, God does. We can think what we like, but one who has experienced the reality of God in their life doesn't need an argument.  "Once I was blind, and now I see."

Application:  Don’t  let your pride stand in the way of seeing Jesus!

Prayer:  Thank You,  Father that I can now know that I too was blind and now I see. Help me to see others as you see them, with a heart of forgiveness, love and grace. Amen

Dale