There is a pretty amazing story found in the eighth chapter of the Gospel of Mark:

22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

24He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

As a child, I could never quite get past Jesus spitting on the man’s eyes. Books are full of ideas and explanations as to why He did this, suffice it for our purposes to say the Lord does works in the manner He chooses, and it is not up to me to direct His workings. What I have been focusing on lately are the questions that Jesus asks. The question Jesus asked the blind man is, “do you see anything?” What an important issue! What greater need would a blind person have than to be able to see?

Pressure had to be one of the feelings the blind man experienced that day. Jesus takes him by hand and touches him and asks him what do you see? I wonder how I would have reacted had I been in his place? Uh, Jesus, I see better than I did, I think I can see okay. Thanks for your help. Often we opt for the safe and what we perceive to be the preferred answer. Might I have been tempted to say: ‘ I see, I see, thank you.’ The man answered honestly: “I see people, but they look like trees walking around.” He could see better than before but not as good as he might have wished.

Are you ever tempted to answer Jesus’ questions with a less than a candid answer? I know we should never lie and especially to Jesus. The blind man must not have wrestled with giving the politically correct answer; he just blurted out that he didn’t see all that well.

A couple of things I learn from this man:

  • Be honest with the Lord. If you can’t see just admit it, if you are feeling sad, discouraged, etc., accept it and be honest about everything. Early in our lives, we learn to pretend, pretend we like the food, the trip, the color, the car, and on and on. At times we do it in order not to hurt another person’s feelings. Right at this moment, we are talking about the Lord, and if we are going to receive help from Him, we are going to have to truthful. Things in my life stink right now may be the honest answer if that is how it feels to you at the moment. You cannot receive help until you admit you need help. This applies to all of life and especially in our relationship with Jesus.
  • At times we need another touch. Jesus does not just promise to help once, and then you are on your own He is ready to give us a new touch. I believe many people are not seeing people as Jesus wants us to see them; they are to us “trees walking around.” You may be in a tight spot today, ask Jesus to touch you. Your circumstance may not change, Jesus can change your vision and perspective, but it will take His touch. Regardless of where you are today, are you willing to ask Jesus to touch you on more time?

What do you see right now? There are many problems and situations that bring fear and anguish. Have you asked Jesus to not only touch our world but to touch your eyes one more time? What a difference Jesus makes!

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