Mud in your eye
John 9:1-21
Have you ever played in the mud? Maybe you made mud pies. Maybe you are one of those people who like tractor pulls or monster truck rallies. Some of you may have had a mud facial.
Jesus found a very interesting use for mud one Sunday afternoon. He used it as a means of giving a man sight who had been born blind since birth.
In Jesus time it was often thought that if you were born with an infirmity of some kind that someone in your family had sinned. What a strange way to look at the world.
In fact even the religious leaders of Jesus time thought this way. Bad enough that your child has an infirmity the so called religious people add on guilt to make you feel even heavier in your heart.
Did you know that we good church people are sometimes guilty of a similar mindset?
Think about it, when you see a homeless person who do you blame for their homelessness? Or how about an alcoholic or a person who is unemployed?
Friends we are just as guilty as these pious Pharisees when we look down on folks like this and make assumptions. Saints I’m telling you we ought not to do that. Remember…there for the grace of God go I.
I like the photo on the responsive reading insert today. It shows blind boys and girls in Africa. One boy has a book on his head, I’ll bet it’s a Bible.
Through your generosity Fran and I were able to meet some of these boys and girls when you sent us to Zambia. There we met with Pastor John who was also blind.
They did not want our pity, they just wanted our love. They had an entire school there for such people. They do not have Community Living programs like we do. Instead such people are forced out of society and they are left to fend for themselves.
Your generosity helped ease some of their burden. But I want you to know you can do more if you wish. Those white canes you see are very hard to come by in that part of the world. It would be great if could send a few dozen to children like this.
I know there are lots of charities and needs that you already support but consider doing a little more this time of year.
Last week I did talk about sacrifice being the walk of faith. If you’re interested you can help the folks at Hope Story and they will see that canes for the blind are distributed. Maybe you would want to do more? Maybe you would like to sponsor one of this children. Anything no matter how small, helps.
Jesus took mud and covered the eyes of the blind man. I’m fascinated by this. Was there something in Jesus spit or something special in the mud that made this man to see?
Was it the water at the pool of Siloam that brought his vision back?
No, none of that was necessary at all. Jesus could have just spoke a word and the man could have been able to see again but instead we get these visual aids.
Jesus was making a point about sin and about doing God’s work on the Sabbath. I encourage you to do your Terry Fox runs and your other volunteer work on a Sabbath if that is when events are scheduled. That’s not the point. Or is it? Maybe we should all be out there on a Sunday?
The thing is it was not the mud or Jesus spit or the waters of the pool of Siloam that restored this blind man’s sight. It was the man’s faith and obedience to do what Jesus told him.
This entire episode was meant to show that Jesus had the power to forgive sins. That was a power neither the Sadducees nor Pharisees had and they resent Jesus for it.
Jesus did this just weeks before He was to make His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus was announcing by His act that He was the Messiah and that His own people were rejecting Him. This was all about fulfilling the plan of the Heavenly Father. A plan written down in prophecy many, many years ago.
Well friend God has a plan for your life just like He did for Jesus. Your plan is different. But still you can know what it is that God is calling you to do in this life.
You just might be here for purposes other than your own. Have you considered that one?
Our Heavenly Father may bring you into contact with a blind person or a homeless person or someone with some other infirmity. How you respond to that person is what it’s all about.
It’s a Jesus thing. It’s a faith thing. It’s about reaching out in love.
You and I must act whenever God puts an opportunity in front of us. Again when God brings that opportunity to you. We can do good deeds and acts of kindness and yes even mission work but it’s more important to respond to those God moments.
Mud can be a real irritant when you get it in your eye and trust me it really got into the eyes of the Pharisees that day. They were irritated with how Jesus extend kindness without judgement and offered a solution that left open room to give God the praise.
Was it the mud?
Was it Jesus spit?
Was it the waters of the Pool of Siloam?
No friend it was just Jesus showing us to love those who are most vulnerable around us. Meet their need as you meet them and offer them what you are able to do. That is all Jesus is asking of us.
Recognize Saints that Jesus points us to the Father who can forgive all your sins even the ones you may be born with. Jesus tells us to walk by faith and not by sight.
When we do that we give sight to all those all around us. Trust Jesus to open your eyes to the love of God and the forgiveness that is yours in Jesus. Amen.
