Life Spark: Be like Jesus today. Look for someone to bless. (John 9:1-4)
Richard is in our Thursday morning men’s Bible study group. Born prematurely, he and his twin brother were placed in an incubator and given too much oxygen. That critical mistake robbed them both of eyesight.
Similarly, you and I lack sight. All of us lack the ability to see all that may happen (foresight), is happening (insight) and has happened (hindsight). Since Adam and Eve, we’ve all been born partially blind. There is so much we don’t see.
One day Jesus saw a man who didn’t see. “ … he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” (John 9:1-2, NIV) The disciples believed that sickness of any kind was the result of sin, and they were looking for someone to blame.
“’Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” (John 9:3, NIV) Jesus introduced an entirely new concept: sometimes God uses difficult things in our lives to display His glory, His irrepressible aliveness! I wonder how often we do what they did and look at things from the wrong angle? We look for someone to blame when we should be looking for someone to bless.
Jesus said the man’s blindness was an opportunity for the “works of God” to be on display in his life. What are the works of God? The works of God make people more alive in Christ, and God wants to put His works on display in our lives.
“’As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.’” (John 9:4, NIV)
Jesus sticks with the subject of sight, day and night, dark and light. Spiritual night is living without light. Living without Jesus in my life is living without light. Ultimate night is hell. Since God is not in hell (although Jesus went there temporarily when He died on the cross), hell is pitch black. Where God is, pitch black becomes bright light!
Life-challenge: Look for at least one person you could blame today, and bless them instead, in Jesus’ Name. Thank Him for helping you see the opportunity to be a blessing.