“’Go,’ Jesus told the blind man, ‘wash in the Pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” (John 9:7 NIV)
Like many of the miracles Jesus performed, this one comes with a set of instructions. Jesus tells the blind man to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. While we don’t know the exact distance he traveled to get to the pool, it was a hike…
So why would Jesus send this blind man on a scavenger hunt? Why not just heal him on the spot? A trip to the Pool of Siloam seems unnecessary, doesn’t it?
I recently heard a story by an Episcopal bishop named William Frey. As a young man, he volunteered to tutor a student who was blind. The student had lost his sight at the age of thirteen in a chemical explosion. He felt like his life was over. The only thing greater than his self-pity was his hatred toward God. For six months after the accident, all he did was feel sorry for himself. Then one day his father said, “John, winter’s coming and the storm windows need to be up – that’s your job. I want those hung by the time I get back this evening or else!” Then he pretended to walk out of the room, slamming the door. John got good and angry! In fact, he was so angry that he decided to do it. He thought, “When I fall, they’ll have a blind and paralyzed son!” But John didn’t fall. He discovered that he was capable of doing more than he realized. Even with blind eyes. Only after completing the job did he discover that his dad was never more than five feet away. He shadowed his son to make sure he was safe, but he knew that helplessness was a far worse curse than blindness.
I’m not entirely sure why Jesus had this blind man go and wash, but I’m guessing that he had lived a relatively helpless life. He depended upon everybody for everything! So Jesus didn’t just heal his blind eyes. He restored his dignity by rebuking helplessness… And that’s one secret to experiencing the miraculous: most miracles require an act of blind obedience.
-- Mark Batterson in “The Grave Robber: How Jesus Can Make Your Impossible Possible”
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