The story of the blind man recorded in John 9 has all the makings of a Hollywood movie. There are interesting characters, villains, unusual characters, a guy in a white hat, and of course a surprise ending. It also has a great deal of humor. As the story begins, a blind man who has been blind since birth is spotted by the disciples. The story does not tell us if he was walking or sitting but it does open a deep theological question. The disciples ask if the blind man sinned or his parents sinned. Does a disabled person imply that someone sinned? Maybe but it could be that disabilities are the work of a fallen world and no one person is at fault.

In this story, Jesus tells them neither sinned but that this happened that the work of God might be displayed. Then Jesus makes a mud pie and sticks it in the man’s eyes. How funny is that? What would our modern doctors say about that? What about all the people that are standing around and watching? This event certainly would have been strange at the very least.

But the guy gets healed. You would think that the Pharisees would be happy for this guy, but instead they are furious because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. But the story gets funnier. Picture an interrugation room at the FBI. It must have seemed like that as they cross-examined the former blind man about his healing. This old guy kind of reminds me of Jack Nicholson in the movie, “A Few Good Men” when he says, “You can’t handle the truth.” In spite of the cross-examination, the former blind man doesn’t back down and that caused him to be thrown out of the meeting with the Pharisees.

Later Jesus would talk to the man and the man would become a followers of Jesus. Many smaller things happen everyday in our lives  that are the work of God but we fail to see God’s fingerprint on the work. Let’s not be blind to what God is doing. See ya soon. PB