Sight to the Blind

5/3/2016

Matthew 20.32-34 32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” 34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

Two blind men were sitting along the road outside of Jericho and heard that Jesus was coming by – they yelled out to him, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowed shushed them, but they yelled even louder. So Jesus had them brought to Him and the above transpired: What do you want Me to do for you? They wanted their sight.

Don’t we all? Isn’t sight, seeing, but isn’t it also understanding? The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13: For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (V. 12) To see with the eye is often taken for granted until the eye becomes faulty. To smell with the nose is taken for granted until the nose can no longer smell. The two blind guys wanted to see, but I think they also wanted to understand.

Humankind wants to know, and certainly wants to know what’s next. We all have a hunger and thirst for the whole story and for what part we play in the story. But our sight, that is our understanding, is limited, and in our present condition, doesn’t allow for us to know all, much less comprehend. We can’t, we’re fallen. We have no capacity for the whole truth. It is only because of God’s power and presence that we can even see what we currently see.

Life on earth, even with Christ, is not a quest for superhuman status.  We need to carefully examine what someone is saying if that is what they’re implying. (Even Televangelists wear glasses…) Life on earth is the quest to walk in harmony with God to see what we can see (with Him) and trust Him in what we can’t.  

The two blind men followed Jesus, but the Scripture says that at Jesus’ crucifixion, everyone fled. No one stood with Him – not even the blind men. Because sight, as precious as it is, is flesh; and flesh and blood cannot (will not) inherit the Kingdom of God. Only those who walk by faith, and not by the flesh, will see God.

I’m glad Jesus healed the blind men and restored their sight. Maybe they became part of the early church. But even so, in this life, they didn’t get the whole picture: we simply cannot handle the truth it all its glory. We haven’t the capacity. Even with God we are limited.

But what we do get is ever increasing light and sight in this world as we walk in faith with God. It isn’t a free ride, but it is an encouragement that even in the worst that earth can offer, it can’t overcome the best Heaven has in store. Like the blind men, we are to accept the sight we have and look to God who will give us more – faith to faith, and grace to grace. The whole picture is reserved for eternity in His presence.

Father, it seems a mystery that even with You, we are held back by who we are. But that doesn’t mean that we are rejected or punished; we are merely in preparation for that day when we will see You face to face and will know as we are known. Until then, lead on O King eternal. Amen.