Interrogated for a miracle : The story of the man born blind (Part II)

The man born blind (Adapted and dramatized from John 9:8-41)

Read the first part here.

It was the best day of my life, and it was about to get a little challenging before it became even better.

Let me explain. This man named Jesus, He put mud on my eyes, and asked me to go to the pool of Siloam to wash and I washed and came back seeing.

It was one of the most transformational and exciting moment of my life ever.

I mean, I always heard, smelled, touched the world, but this – being able to put shape and colour to all that I imagined with my measly imagination, was nothing short of divine.

I wondered how the man who healed me looked like. But it was already pretty exciting figuring my way around all my old acquittances, putting a face to the sound of their voices. I was causing quite a stir. I mean, being able to see changed my world, and apparently changed the way I looked and behaved too!

Oh, then I met them. Um, you guess who, the ones who used to gaze at me with utmost disgust – the Pharisees. I mean, talk about feeling a gaze of disdain and actually seeing it now. My good day was about to get a little messy, but maybe, just maybe it was for the better.

Well, it was the Sabbath, and that meant, um, I had broken some law by walking a little too far to get healed. Well, I would hardly call healing work.

This man called Jesus too, I think He has got in trouble quite a few times for healing people like me on the Sabbath.

Most people are quite scared of these religious leaders, my parents included. I mean, its understandable, just by the look of them, any child would have scooted a thousand miles away. I was partially grateful I didn’t see the look on their face while growing up blind.

The questions kept coming. They wanted to know about this Jesus who healed me. They wanted to catch him or something I think, I mean, they didn’t hide their jealousy very well.

I’ve never been to any school, but I mean these people, they just kept saying He couldn’t be from God because He healed on the Sabbath. Well, its not rocket science, but if someone is not from God, they probably wouldn’t have cared enough to heal, let alone have the power to heal.

I was baffled by their stubborn questions. But the more they tried to interrogate my miracle, the more convinced I was that this guy who healed me was sent by God, a Prophet I believed.

Well, I gave them one last lecture and got thrown out of the temple, the very place I thought I’d be accepted.

It was ok, I kept my miracle, although I hoped and wished I could see this Rabbi, for the first time, the one who gazed on me so lovingly before. The one who healed me. And He came. To me.

“Do you believe in the Son of Man”

“Who is he, sir?” I asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

“Lord, I believe,”

At that I felt down and worship. If I thought the healing was transformational, this time I felt that I was truly alive. Face to face with my Healer and Lover of My Soul, I thought, maybe being thrown out of the temple wasn’t so bad after all.

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I wonder if you have ever met this ‘guy’ named ‘unbelief’. It sometimes comes in the form of a question and doubt in your head. Sometimes it comes in the form of a doubting friend or family, or, unfortunately in some cases, a church leader.

I wonder how it must have made you feel? Cornered? A little silly? Dumb?

I wonder how you responded? Did you keep the faith? Did you falter a little, did you dilute the miracle or did you press on trusting that God really did a miracle.

I have faltered, tried to lessen a miracle to minimize the conflict, and at times I did sparkle a little like the blind man, risking my reputation because the truth was undeniable.

Pharisees come in many different forms these day. The family member who denies the existence of God; the heretical hunter who religiously denies any form of supernatural experience; the university professor who looks down on you for your faith as someone who needs ‘ an emotional clutch; ‘ and sometimes, maybe even ChatGPT who tries to persuade you against the reality of a reality.

You may have wondered at their unbelief. Or maybe, just maybe, if you are like me, wish the road of faith was a lot smoother that it panned out to be.

The man healed of his blindness didn’t have a smooth road to his Healer, but maybe that was the point. The road made him even more convinced of the power of the One who healed Him. And sometimes, God allows us to go through those roads, so we can search harder and find the bigger miracle.

And oh is it worth it.

The blind man receiving this interrogated miracle came out with less friends and sympathizers, but he got One True Friend that sticks closer than a brother.

He may have lost access to the religious world surrounding the temple, but he was going to be made into a temple of the Holy Spirit through the One who encountered him.

He may have even lost his family, but he gained a spiritual one.

More than ever, if he got his physical sight the first round; after enduring the interrogation, he found his spiritual sight, and worshipped the One who is All in all.

After all that, I think he would agree that the interrogation was worth the Prize.

May you find the grace to overcome the doubts that come your way, to hold on to a faith worth more than gold, and fall down and worship Your Creator, with a love and knowledge of Him that is deeper than before.

Be blessed.