Healing the Blind Man

(Mark 8:22-26)

How clearly do we see the things around us? How well do we perceive what it is that we see? Jesus came to open the eyes of the blind, and not just the physically blind, but the spiritually blind too. When we look at the miracles he did it is worth considering how else they may apply, as in this case.

When Jesus came to Bethsaida the people brought a blind man to him and begged for Jesus to heal him. (Verse 22) Jesus took the man away from the people and out of the village where he spat on the man’s eyes and laid his hands upon him. He then asked the man what he could see. (Verse 23) The man responded saying he could see men but they looked like trees walking. (Verse 24)

Now we will pause here for this is an interesting analogy. The man may have been blind from birth or he may have become blind later in life. We do not know which was the case here, but we could presume it was the latter for he would not have known what either men or trees looked like if he was blind from birth. However he saw something which he believed to be men but they looked like trees.

What the man was saying was that he could see, but did not see clearly. He could not perceive what it was he was looking at as his vision was still distorted. He lacked clarity in his sight and had he been left in that state would probably not have been much better off then when he was blind.

In fact it is sometimes worse to perceive a thing falsely than to not perceive it at all. When we only see in part, and what we are looking at is not clear, we may make assumptions that lead us to wrong conclusions. But the Lord does not want us to be left in the dark (blind) nor does he want us to follow half truths (impaired vision). He wants us to see clearly so we can walk uprightly and walk in the truth.

Going back to the blind man we then see Jesus again laid his hands on the man’s eyes and the man looked intently and his sight was restored fully.

As Jesus restored this man’s physical sight to full clarity, so too he will provide clarity to our insight. We must go to him as the blind man went to him when we need clarity of vision. When you are lacking in knowledge or wisdom or any other thing, pray to the Lord for insight as James instructed, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5) And like this man if it does not come the first time, press on with the Lord for he will give you the necessary insight when the time is right.

(Picture sourced from ChristiansUnite.com https://clipart.christiansunite.com)