Just like a blind man, I wandered along; Worries and fears I claimed for my own. Then like the blind man that God gave back his sight, Praise the Lord, I saw the light. --Hank Williams, Sr.
This week we’ve taken a deep dive into the story of Jesus healing a man blind from birth. This story has all the themes of John, Jesus best friend. Tension with the rulers. Healing on the Sabbath. Light and dark. Seeing and not seeing.
Hank Williams captured this in his country gospel song (that incidentally I’ll be singing Sunday so it’s on my mind).
At the end of the story, we see (pun) that the blind man has gained both physical sight and spiritual sight. He’s seen the light on both sides now.
Jesus comments with one of his usual cryptic sayings, “I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” And some religious leaders, one of those with the Ph.D. from the University of Shammai (the rabbi), responded, “Surely we are not blind, are we?”
That would be what we call an ironic statement, I believe. They thought they could see, so Jesus told them their sin remains. But in reality, they are living an ancient teaching from God, “Seeing, they do not perceive.”
The question is presented to us, can we become aware of our blindness so that Jesus can help us see?s
-Gary Mintchell
Faith Venture 
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