Blind Faith

The term "blind faith" is defined as "belief without truly understanding". Interestingly enough, there's a story in the Bible about a man who was blind since birth but because of his 'blind faith' in a mysterious man whom he didn't really know, he took heed in what that mysterious man asked him to do and consequently the blind man was healed. Talk about irony.

Before I go on, I must say that Jesus is a masterclass in literature. His choice for metaphorical acts of miracles is simply beautiful. John 9 is no different. Two things stood out to be like a sore thumb as I read this text.

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
John 9: 1-3

A lot of times, when we face a particular struggle in our lives, be it emotional, physical, mental or even spiritual, we respond similarly to that of the disciples. We begin to ask ourselves if we had done anything wrong to deserve such calamities. Our circumstance seems more like a 'punishment' more than anything else and as we delve into that mentality, what happens is that we begin to condemn ourselves. But here I was reminded once again that struggles, painful circumstances and difficult patches in life are there not to condemn us, but more so "that the work of God might be displayed" in our life.


The blind man was blind SINCE BIRTH. That's a long time. In reality, there are some struggles in life that we have been facing for many years now and yet we still can't seem to find the 'antidote'. Are we condemning ourselves because we are still in that struggle? Are we blaming God for all the calamities? God is not condemning us and therefore, we should not be condemning ourselves. Truth is, God wants to do something beautiful in us. He wants to glorify Himself through our circumstances. That's the fact.

However...

On our part, God requires us to RESPOND to Him.

"Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes."
John 9: 6

I can't help but to think it disgusting that Jesus used his spit to heal the blind man. Eeyer. But then hor, it's Jesus's spit wor! :P. I find this particular section of the scripture really interesting. The fact that he used mud and his spit to heal this man. Mud and spit?? Why?? As aforementioned, I believe Jesus has got a doctorate in literature simply for his profound use of metaphorical acts of miracles.

I did some research and there are numerous theories and explanations to it. But I'll just share what spoke to me. The fact that Jesus placed the mud on the blind man's eyes simply reflected the image of Christ being the potter and we, the clay. It's as if God was telling the blind man, "I want to reshape you like a potter reshapes a contorted clay. I want to take you out of your predicament and elevate you to a new level in me". Even in our darkest state or struggle, God is still our potter and we are still the clay.

God WANTS to give us DIVINE SIGHT.

As for the saliva, apparently it was customary back then for ancient holy men to use spit for curing diseases. But I believe it was also a symbol of God anointing the physical as well as the spiritual eyes of the blind man. When God anoints and gives us divine sight, He gives us new life. If you read further on in the John 9, once the man received sight, He was transformed in spirit as well.

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked,
"Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"
Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him."
But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
John 9: 8-9

People couldn't recognized him because he was transformed not just in the physical but also in the spiritual! When God brings us out from a struggle or from our old-self, He does not just stop at just bringing us out. He also brings us IN... He brings us in into new life.

But we need to respond to Him.

"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing."
John 9: 7

The heart of this passage I believe is in this portion of scripture. God wants to give us divine sight. That is so very true and we got to want it to claim it. But for that to happen, God also requires us to take the step of faith... and sometimes, He even challenges us to take the step of, dare I say, "blind faith". This blind man was obviously... Blind. Yet, Jesus instructed him to go to the Pool of Siloam. Bear in mind that the blind man only heard about Jesus but never actually knew Jesus in an intimate way. I'd imagine it would have been a struggle for the blind man to find his way to the pool. He must have bumped into different people who may have pushed him out of the way but yet, because of his 'blind faith' in Christ, he went anyhow and was healed immediately after he washed away the mud on his eyes. Because of the little faith that he had, God was glorified through him.

Do you realized that one of Jesus's favourite question is "Do you believe?"?. But why? Because faith is active. It demands a response. When Jesus healed the official's son in John 4, He instructed the official, "You may go, Your son will live". The official needed to respond to that in faith and go home to his son - Faith demands a response. John 5 talks about the man who was healed from his paralysis but before Jesus healed him, he asked the man "Do you want to get well?" - Faith demands a response.

Faith is active and it demands a response.

Know that God puts us in and through circumstances for a purpose - to manifest and to glorify Himself through us. Know also that God will never forsake us, in fact, He wants to heal, anoint and shape us more into His image. Lastly, know also that it is a choice that we need to make just like the blind man did on that very fateful day. Let not circumstance blinds us from receiving the divine sight in which He wants to give. Sometimes, it is through blind faith that God gives us new pair of anointed eyes.

The blind man decided to go to the Pool of Siloam. What about you?