SEEING CLEARLY?
Opening Prayer
Lord, only You know whom I will meet today. Make me aware of those around me so I can relate well to them for Your glory.
Read Mark 8:22–26
Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into[a] the village.”
Footnotes:
a Mark 8:26 Some manuscripts go and tell anyone in
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Whom do you impact in your day to day life? Think about it and you may be surprised at the answer.In one African country the customary greeting is not “How are you?” or “Did you sleep well?” but one of personal affirmation: “I see you.” In reality, we don’t always truly see the people around us, do we?
Without doubt the blind man experienced a real physical healing, but the fact that this healing comes in two distinct stages perhaps reminds us that physical healings have spiritual parallels. Mark seems to be driving home the point that we must grow in our spiritual awareness and that involves our eyes being opened both to God and to people.
We may see people without really noticing them. Perhaps they simply form the backdrop to our lives, rather like extras in a film, but we don’t truly engage with them. Sometimes we see people in a utilitarian way, for the function they perform, but never know their name or anything about them.
When God touches our eyes we begin to see others in the way that Jesus saw people – each made by God, created to know Him, and with value in His sight. Spiritual awareness involves being attentive to both God and the people around us.
Apply
Whom do you see regularly during your normal daily routine? Bus drivers? Baristas? Clients? How can you notice the “background” people today and share a smile or word of hope?
Closing prayer
Forgive me, Lord, that I am often blind to the people around me. Open my eyes and help me to see them with Your eyes of compassion.
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