The key to seeing everything with more clarity

David Bowman

The key to seeing everything with more clarityiStock

"He answered, 'Whether or not he's a sinner, I don't know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!'" (John 9:25, CSB).

Seeing is believing, or so they say. However, this man who was born blind and who was given the gift of sight by Jesus caused confusion and disbelief (verses 8-12). Then things went from bad to worse (verses 13-34).

Seeing a man who had been blind his whole life looking back at them with perception was impossible. It was unbelievable. It was miraculous.

There are a lot of "how" questions in this story.

"Then how were your eyes opened?" (verse 10).

"Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight," (verse 15).

"They asked them, 'Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?'" (verse 19).

"Then they asked him, 'What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?'" (verse 26).

Sometimes we cannot see the truth because we want to know howwhen we should be asking who. To you, who is Jesus? John told us right off the bat who Jesus is. Notably, in 1:3, he says this:

"All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created," (1:3).

He who created all things could certainly repair all things. Even so, the one answer the Pharisees would not accept for a person who was born blind yet now could see was Jesus. Jesus had once again violated their rules about the Sabbath. Jesus had once again pointed out that works of mercy and necessity were always the right thing to do on the Sabbath.

You can see the dilemma. You can also see the truth. You can see what the blind man saw that the Pharisees turned blind eyes toward. You can see Jesus for who he is. He is Creator. He is Restorer.

The man born blind received a great gift. He was overjoyed. Thieves tried to steal his joy. He would have none of it. "One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!" He would not turn a blind eye to Jesus.

A little mud, a short walk, a refreshing rinse led to the gift of sight. Seeing led to believing. Remember how this story began. This man did not ask Jesus for his sight. Jesus did not ask this man if he wanted to be healed. Instead, the disciples engaged Jesus in theological questions based on what they saw. Jesus opened their eyes to see more clearly who he was.

Do you see it now? Do you believe?

When we see Jesus for who he is, we see everything else more clearly. Seeing is believing. Believing is seeing. I once was blind, but now I see.

Our Father, I thank you that when you look at me, you see all I could be. By your grace, in your mercy, you turn lumps of clay into works of art. You take coal and create diamonds. When you look at me, what do you see? Whatever it is, that is what I want to be. Amen.


David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co. Learn More »

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