Our world is full of people with differing opinions about religion. Christians recognize
God as the creator of all things and know that the Bible is true. Vaguely spiritual people
may believe in something, but focus more on feelings than scripture. Non-believers
claim that there is no God at all. While it’s true that these people don’t have much in
common when it comes to God, they have all likely asked the same question: Who is
Jesus?
This question of who Jesus is is answered throughout the Bible, but in no chapter more
clearly than in Mark 8. In Mark 8:22-31 reads, “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 the village.”
27 Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the
way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 They replied, “Some say John the
Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 “But what about
you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” 30
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. 31 He then began to teach them that
the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests
and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.”
Jesus is addressing life’s most important question here, the question of who he is. He
is healing the man’s physical blindness in the same way that he heals spiritual
blindness. He is letting us know who he is and how to see him clearly, and it’s laid out
in three ways. First, we need to have friends who bring us closer to Jesus. Second, we
need to be honest with Jesus about our blind spots. And third, we must understand that
truly knowing Jesus takes multiple touches.
We need friends to bring us closer to Jesus because its incredibly difficult to walk in faith
all on our own. In this part of scripture, we see that the blind man didn’t make it to
Jesus on his own; rather, his friends brought him to Jesus and were the ones who
begged Jesus to touch him and heal him. We all need friends like this, friends who will
walk with us, listen to us, pray with us, and love Jesus with us. It may feel daunting to
find these friends in the world we live in, but you can start by turning to your neighbor in
church, joining a small group, or finding a reputable online community.
We also need to be honest with Jesus about our blind spots, the things that stand in our
way of seeing God clearly. The man in this passage didn’t tell Jesus he could see
clearly when he could not. After being touched the first time, he told Jesus that people
looked like trees to him. He was open and honest with Jesus, which ultimately led to his full healing. If you were honest with Jesus right now, what would your blind spot be? Remember, there is no blind spot too big for God to overcome!
And we need to understand that knowing Jesus takes multiple touches. The blind man
in the story needed connection with Jesus multiple times before he was able to fully
see. In other words, seeing clearly time. Some people who believe in God feel they’ve
never been touched by Jesus. Others know they have been in the past, but they are
struggling now. If you are not satisfied with where you are spiritually, know that that is
ok. Jesus is not done with you, and he wants you to go back to him for another
connection. He loves you too much to leave you spiritually blind!
Practical Tips
Rest in the knowledge that Jesus is the Messiah!
Find friends who are fellow believers who can pray with you and worship God with you.
Be honest about the things that are holding you back from seeing God clearly or that
are interfering with your relationship with him. Bring them to God.
Know that God will never leave you spiritually blind. Keep seeking connection with him
again and again.
