The Value of vision
Have you ever bumped your toe, banged your knee, or walked into a wall? I’m not talking about pain that comes from being a walking phone-zombie, but rather from the blindness that comes about from walking in the dark. Walking without sight presents great challenges. Those with good eyesight only experience those challenges rarely. But those experiences provide great lessons for us. It should not surprise us that God uses the physical realities of blindness to teach far more important spiritual lessons.
Jesus healed the physically blind as proof that he could give sight to those who were spiritually blind (John 9:1-7). The blind receiving their sight was one of the signs demonstrating he was the Messiah (Luke 7:22).
Jesus is the light of the world (John 1:5-9; 8:12). He came to shine light into the darkness (John 12:46), so that we might see where we are going (John 12:35), and not stumble (John 11:10).
Paul’s temporary blindness served as a springboard for his ministry to the Gentiles. He was sent to “open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they might receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (Acts 26:18 ESV).
Amazingly, some people simply are not willing to see (John 3:19). Others are blinded by the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), or by their own sinful life (1 John 2:11).
Those who were blind came to Jesus (Matthew 21:14), or pleaded with him to heal them (Matthew 20:30-34). Yet, so many are willing to remain in spiritual darkness, a condition far more dire than physical darkness.
My friend, Virgil, was a preacher for seventy years. Eventually, his eyesight left him and he could no longer read. Yet, he was still able to deliver Wednesday night devotionals and the occasional Sunday sermon. He recreated, from memory, the great scenes of scripture in a picture book. The word continued to live in his heart. While he was legally blind, he saw better than most. While his steps were not always sure, he walked confidently in the light. He saw Jesus far more clearly than many. He passed away last week at 101 years of age. His eyes are no longer darkened, but are now, like his heart has always been, full of light.
Do you see Jesus? Are you walking in the light? What a tragedy to remain in the darkness when the light can shine in your life!