Jesus Gives Us Sight
By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal
I was in the 5th grade when I was first diagnosed with near-sightedness. It was first noticed in school, where I had difficulty reading the chalkboard and seeing the TV from my row in the back of the room. Ms. Collier eventually noticed that I was squinting a lot, and that I would come up later to look more closely at what was written on the board. After asking me if I was having trouble seeing, she moved me to the front row and then talked to my parents about the trouble I was having. I went to the eye doctor, got tested, and a week or so later I walked out of the Pearl Vision Center at Richardson Square Mall with my first pair of glasses.
My world had long been a blurry place. I used to have to sit on the floor, right in front of our big console Curtis-Mathis TV set, in order to see the tube and watch my shows: Star Trek, Lost in Space, and my favorite Saturday morning cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, The Road Runner, and Johnny Quest). I hadn’t realized that not being able to see clearly was something that needed to be fixed. But now, with my glasses, I could see so much more! Edges were sharp and straight again; I could watch the TV from the couch; the trees were more than just green blobs; and, I could make out everything that Ms. Collier put on the chalkboard. Before, I had been able to see … somewhat … just barely enough to get along; but, now, I could really see. Life was no longer a blurry mess.
As I got older, I had to get progressively stronger prescription lenses until, when I was about 47, I had to upgrade to bifocals. I just got a new pair of glasses a few weeks ago, and the good news is that my distance vision has actually improved slightly, but my close-in vision … what I need for reading … has gotten a little worse. But … no worries, the prescription was adjusted and I was good to go! Not being able to see, not being able to depend upon one’s eyes, can be very disturbing.
The same can be true for hearing. Several years ago I began to notice that I was constantly being bothered by a high-pitched ringing or whining sound. When I’m listening to something … especially to music … my brain cancels out the sound and I don’t notice it anymore, but nearly all the rest of the time I go through my days with this continual, high-pitched whine in my ears. I hear it in both ears, but it’s usually a little worse in my left ear. The doctor tells me that it’s Tinnitus, and that there’s not a whole lot that can be done about it. It’s annoying; it’s distracting; at times, it’s upsetting. I can’t sit in silence anymore because there is no silence for me. Not anymore. Not ever.
Not being able to see; not being able to hear; not being able to do either very well, or at all, can be a real challenge. I once knew a fellow named Lloyd who suffered with diabetes so severe that he suddenly went totally and completely blind. Lloyd had lots of ways of coping with his blindness, and his patient persistence was an incredible inspiration to me. Lloyd and I used to set up for Candlelight Services on Emmaus Walks. One of the things that Lloyd liked to do was check the battery-powered candles to make sure that they worked. Yes, you heard me right: the blind guy checked the battery powered candles! "How," you ask? Lloyd would take a candle, twist the base to turn it on, and then hold it up high. Someone … and there were dozens in the room, helping to set up chairs, tables, and such …someone would shout out “it works!” or “it doesn’t work!” depending upon if the light was shining or not. Lloyd would sort those that worked from those that didn’t work, and then come back later and change the batteries in those that didn’t work. He did it all by touch, and with the help of others. Lloyd didn’t let his blindness stop him from being a part of the family of faith or sharing God’s love with others. He was right there, ready and willing to help, and when confronted with something difficult he always found a way to make it work. Lloyd was an inspiration to me; he was one of my heroes at that church.
Lloyd was a lot like blind Bartimaeus:
“They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”” (Mark 10:46-47)
Bartimaeus knew he was blind; he knew he needed help; and, even though some people tried to stop him, he wouldn't be denied.
“Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”” (Mark 10:48)
Bartimaeus knew that his source of help would be this Rabbi from Nazareth, this “Jesus, Son of David.” I find it interesting that, while he was physically blind, in many ways he could see far better than most of the people around him. He could see spiritually; he could see that his hope was in Jesus. Those jerks around him told him to be quiet; at first, they were blind to his need and they were blind to what Jesus could do for him. They were, in some respects, more blind than Bartimaeus.
That’s an important theme in the Gospels, by the way. Repeatedly, we learn that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were often spiritually blind … they were "the blind leading the blind." Matthew 15 makes this very clear. The religious leaders - and, indeed, many good religious folk - could be spiritually blind. They were spiritually blind to the needs of others; spiritually blind to their own needs; spiritually blind to what Jesus was offering them in the coming Kingdom of God. That’s a powerful theme in the scriptures, and one that speaks to the church today.
Sometimes we get hung up on the miracles of Jesus. As in Jesus’ day, lots of people want to dwell on them, perhaps a little too much. Jesus didn’t: indeed, he often told people to be quiet about the miracles. Today, many others want to complain about the miracles, and about how they’re just magic or myth. In either case, both approaches are problematic. If you examine the Gospels closely you’ll notice that the miracle stories are all told for a reason. They’re not there just to amaze the reader with the power of God in Jesus; they’re not a magic show; they’re there to teach us something important about Jesus, about God, and about ourselves.
In this healing story, although we discover that Bartimaeus was blind, we also find out that he could spiritually see far better than anybody else. He knew Jesus would heal him.
“Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10:49-52)
No magic words or phrases — no “abracadabra” or “alakazam.” The story doesn’t even say that Jesus touched Bartimaeus. Instead, in response to Bartimaeus’s request, Jesus simply says: “Your faith has made you well.” Believing that Jesus could heal him, and coming to ask him for that healing, was a sufficient act of faith to bring him healing. And notice what’s more: Bartimaeus immediately responded by following Jesus. He goes from being physically blind to physically sighted, and he goes from being spiritually sighted to following Christ on The Way.
We often struggle with spiritual blindness. We may think that we can see spiritually, but in truth we struggle with spiritual blindness. We can see around us perfectly fine, even if we need glasses, but we are so often blind to the things of God. Blessed are those who know that they're blind and in need of a healer. Blessed are those who know that they need spiritual enlightenment in order to see God, and their neighbor, more clearly.
Spiritually, Lloyd could see far better than me; he was such an inspiration. I'll never forget the first time he said he wanted to see what I looked like. After some of the other members of the church had tried to describe me to him, Lloyd said: “oh I can see Pastor Greg better than that.” And, with that, he reached out his hands and he touched my face. As he touched me, he voiced what he was discovering: my glasses, my beard, the shape of my ears, my smile. He also reached down and patted my stomach, then laughed and said: “You’re fat, too! I didn't hear that in your voice!” And then he said something that blew me away: “You know, now that I know what you look like, I’ve gotta say, I already knew who you were because I have heard your spirit in your voice. Your words help me to see God.” That was very humbling to me.
Just before Lloyd died, he asked me to tell everybody about how he used to check the candlelight batteries; he also asked me to remind people that It’s not what you see with your eyes that’s important, it’s what you see with your heart, your spirit, and your faith. Lloyd was right. Like Bartimaeus, Lloyd could really see.
© 2021, Dr. Gregory S. Neal
All Rights Reserved
As a popular teacher, preacher, and retreat leader, Dr. Neal is known for his ability to translate complex theological concepts into common, everyday terms. HIs preaching and teaching ministry is in demand around the world, and much of his work can be found on this website. He is the author of several books, including Grace Upon Grace: Sacramental Theology and the Christian Life, which is in its second edition, and Seeking the Shepherd's Arms: Reflections from the Pastoral Side of Life, a work of devotional literature. Both of these books are currently available from Amazon.com.