The gaze that met my eyes : The story of the man born blind

The man born blind (Adapted and dramatized from John 9:1-7)

‘Have you ever felt gazes? Like just the feeling.

I have.

In fact I couldn’t see since I was born but I could always feel a gaze.

Most of them were gazes of disgust, of judgement, or of the bad example.

‘Don’t you ever lie or steal Benyamin, you’ll end up like that man there who can’t see.’ a woman once said as I felt the gaze of this boy name Benyamin change from curiosity to disgust.

I always wondered why I was born blind.

Was it my sin, or my parents sin. Was it the sin of my forefathers? All I knew was that my family was shunned upon, and when I was old enough to beg, I was left at the roadside to ‘feed off’ the pity of people.

Its quite a humiliating job actually. But over the years, I’ve learnt to trust in the Creator that He cares, and sometimes, I dream of the day that I will be able to see.

There’s been talk in town of a Rabbi, a Prophet who can heal. If only someone would care to take me to Him, Its been 40 years already, and my parents have tried hard to help me. I’ve seen most Rabbi’s, but the Pharisees and Teachers of Law, they tell me I’m a hopeless case, that I cannot be healed, that my sin has been too great it offended Adonai, the Creator and that I am suffering because of it.

And then that day came. There was I, sitting by the temple, and I felt a gaze.

It was no ordinary gaze.

There was some kind of light about it, a brightness and a love, a gaze that seems to know it all yet loves to the end. A gaze that doesn’t look down but looks up.

A Rabbi passed by, and I felt He was different.

‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind.’

Well, as usual, the question I had asked since I was a child. Maybe, He will give me an answer by answering them.

Then it then happened so quickly. This Man named Jesus, gave an answer to that question, and before my mind could even wrap my head around the answer, I felt the light from the gaze come all over me, and a warm wet salivary piece of mud on my eyes. A tingling sensation and just a feeling of love swept over me.

‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.’

A hope shot through my legs and I went and washed. A presence just flooded through my eyes, my head, my whole being and I saw the world for the first time! I saw the world for the first time.

I was blind, but now I see. His gaze had healed me. ‘

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Have you ever felt gazes? Maybe not in the intensity and isolation of the man above, but have you ever felt a judgemental gaze, a smirk, a whisper behind your back. Most of us have.

I wonder what feelings you felt, what thoughts went through your mind.

I grew up a little insecure, fearing man and their gazes. During my graduation in University (and high school for that matter) my number 1 fear (despite getting an award) was tripping and falling off the stage and becoming the laughing stock of many. Well, God graciously answered my prayer to not slip and fall in front of a crowd of 500 parents, teachers and students.

But its real you know, the fear of the gazes, thoughts and perceptions of men.

However, I’ve been learning that there is only One Gaze that truly matters, the gaze of the One who made me and you so wonderfully and beautifully, a gaze that if you allow in, will remind you of who you really are. A gaze that brings light to your life and makes you want to return to your original design.

I’ve met that gaze. And like that blind man, my world was changed.

I wonder if you have too.