The View from Here (Earth)

S - “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. … And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind!” Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and said to him, “We are not also blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” John 9:1, 39-41ESV

O - Jesus comes to us NOT to judge but to establish the criterion by which all will ultimately be judged.  The dynamics of this assessment begin now; the actual finding is reserved for the day of his own choosing.  Though he is the judge he defers all judgment until then. It will be the difference between the seeing and the blind; and he is willing for all to see.  Unlike physical sight, spiritual sight is a function of light and choice.  Jesus is the light and humans make the choice. The blind man healed earlier in this day in the life of Jesus serves as the epitome of his point. With Jesus he is the literal embodiment of the reality all humans live in. Without light no one sees.  The embrace of this light is the choice given … to accept the intervention and instruction of Jesus … to go wash.  Those who refuse … refuse. “There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. [Mal. 3:1.] This man came to witness, that he might testify of the Light, that all men might believe in it [adhere to it, trust it, and rely upon it] through him. He was not the Light himself, but came that he might bear witness regarding the Light. There it was–the true Light [was then] coming into the world [the genuine, perfect, steadfast Light] that illumines every person. [Isa. 49:6.]” John 1:6-9 AMP    

A -  The timing of the healing, the eyes being opened, was not in the control of the man born blind (see the full story in John 9).  He did not decide to be blind and he had no influence over the light.  His only option came when given the opportunity to respond, to accept, to embrace the light. Jesus was proactive in the entire process including the subsequent exchange which moved this man now physically seeing to spiritual sight as well.  I admit that I do not have light within myself; that I am not self-contained; that I need, day by day, the exchange with the true light which enlightens all people. The remedy to all spiritual blindness is a person, not a principle, promise or set of beliefs. I accept this standard of judgment, of assessment.  Blind to seeing; lost to found; dying to living all resolved in him.   “"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17 ESV

P - Lord who is light, life, love and the friend of all,

Thank you for setting the criterion of yourself and then giving yourself to whole world.  You are the only life, light, love, righteousness, power, mercy, grace, hope that heaven accepts and offers.  Yes, Lord! In my blind littleness I welcome your radiant greatness. Thank you for loving me (and all) first and most and for refusing to change your mind.  I do not refuse you but thank you for such great kindness. I love you back.

Overwhelmed at the sight,

Steve