Where’s your blind spot? – Correct answer is “I can’t see it!” 

The difference between those who are blind and those who have sight is that those who are blind know that they cannot see.  It is possible to be blind and live quite a good life.  Anyone who has seen the movie “Ray,” about the life of Ray Charles was given an opportunity to see how blind people learn to live on their own and lead remarkable lives.  My cousin Bob Harkins had a daughter who became blind as an infant because of the lack silver nitrate drops when she was born.  I never knew how to relate to Diane when she was a youngster, and we did not see her that often, but I remember how she would run her fingers over my face to “see” what I looked like. 

When she became an adult, she got a job and married a man who was blind.  Everyone was anxious for them, but they got an apartment, both had jobs, used their walking sticks to go to bus stops and around the area, learning where various shops were.  It required a lot of effort, some help and great determination, but was amazing how much they could do on their own.  However, no matter how well they lived, I’m sure they would enjoy the gift of sight.   The difference between those who are blind and those with sight is that those who are blind know that they cannot see.

The delight of our gospel lesson is the way in which the author weaves together stories of a blind man who regains his sight and groups of sighted people who don’t realize that they are blind.  The entire sequence actually began at Chapter 8, verse 12 Jesus was talking to the Pharisees and said, “I am the Light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will enjoy the light of life.”   The Pharisees scoff at this presumptuous claim and do not believe him in the ensuing theological discussion.  Then Jesus must decide to move away from rational discussion and give an example with a miracle.

 It only requires two verses to tell the actual miracle, but there are 26 verses of interrogations by those who question what happened, how it happened, who did it and whether it was a true healing.  Where’s your blind spot?

The first group of skeptics is the man’s neighbors.  They questioned whether it was the same man or not.  They were not sure what to make of the miracle.  And that should not surprise us, because when we are told of a miracle cure, or a miraculous change in a person’s character, who among us is not a bit skeptical or questioning.  Is one of our blind spots believing the power of God to work miracles?  How do we Lutherans react when a person says they are born again?  Where are your blind spots?

The neighbors take him to the resident theologians, the Pharisees, who change the topic from the miracle to the person who performed it and whether it was the power of God or some demonic power because Jesus broke some of the rules about what work can be done on the Sabbath.  In fact throughout the New Testament, those skeptical about Jesus have preconceived ideas about how the Messiah will act and what the Messiah will do that blind them to the reality of who Jesus is. 

We Lutherans tend to be fairly educated believers.  We have been taught in Sunday School, Confirmation, Adult forums, and small groups, and we have learned a lot of good things about God and Christ and the Church.  The reason I’m a Lutheran is because the more I learned about our Lutheran teachings, the more it seemed to fit with my understanding of God and God’s purpose in the world.  At the same time, we have to be careful that we don’t fall into the trap of believing we have and know all truth, that our way is the best and only way.  Growth in faith requires the ability to be open to new insights that God gives us through his Word and our present experiences. 

The opportunity this morning to learn more about Islam and the faith of Muslims is not only about gaining mutual respect, but about seeing each other’s faith in ways that can help us discover deeper truths about God and God’s purpose.  One of the consistent priorities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has been the initiation of and participation in dialogues with other Christian denominations and with other faiths.  It is a response to one of our deep convictions – that God is the creator of us all, and wants us to work toward a unity that can affirm our diversity.  And, it requires those on both sides of the dialogue to guard against the blindness of rigid belief and open their eyes to the insights and truths that can be discovered from the other. 

Within the ELCA,  like other denominations and faiths, we have struggled with issues that challenge old ways of thinking and traditional practices.  The role of women in the church, efforts to overcome racial barriers, and currently we are grappling with lesbian and gay issues and whether to ordain persons in committed same sex relationships.  It is easy for us to look at the Pharisees and wonder how they could be so blind about this healing because of a little thing like a law against work on the Sabbath, and yet it is not always easy to “see” when God is doing a new thing and to struggle with what faithfulness to God requires. 

The genius of John’s Gospel, within all of the skepticism and controversy of this story, is to provide a lens through which we can “see” the truth about the miracle and the nature of Jesus.  The lens is the testimony of the man who was healed – “All I know is that I was blind and now I see.”  In the midst of skepticism and doubt, God’s mighty power is evident in the simple testimony of the healed man.  And the more this man tells the story, the more clearly he can see who Jesus is.  The first time he tells the story, he says “The man called Jesus made mud and spread it on my eyes. . .”   The next time he tells the story, and is asked about Jesus he says, “He is a prophet.”   The third time he says “this man is from God.”  And then at the end, when Jesus asks if he believes in the Son of Man, he says, “Who is he sir, that I may believe in him?”  And Jesus says “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.”  The man’s eyes are fully opened and he says, “Lord, I believe.”  In that moment he could “see” the truth of the statement that Jesus made “I am the light of the world.” 

Theological arguments with the Pharisees in chapter 8 could not convince them of this truth.  The miracle, performed right in front of their eyes, could not convince them of this truth – they cannot see who Jesus is.  But this man who experienced the power of God at work in Jesus, could see and believe.  The more he told his story, the more clearly he could see who Jesus was and the more he could understand that only by the power of God was this possible. 

That is why I appreciate so much the faith stories of others, whether it is in our Lenten devotional book or shared more privately in small groups, who the testimonies I have heard at some of the Baptist churches I have attended.  We need to tell our stories.  Those we tell them to may or may not believe, but we tell them because they keep reminding us of the power of God in our lives, they help us see God’s presence in our lives.

The power of personal stories is evident in a story told by Robert Fulghum.  He was in on the island of Crete, at a conference center dedicated to healing the wounds of war and hatred.  The leader was Alexander Papaderos.  At the end of the conference, Papaderos responded to a question about the meaning of life.  He reached in his pocket, took out his wallet and from it took a small rounded mirror. 

He said that during World War II, when he was a boy, he found pieces of a broken mirror from a wrecked German motorcycle which lay nearby.  Being very poor, with no toys, he picked up the largest of the pieces and using a rock, rounded the sharp edges so he would not cut himself and began to play with the mirror as a toy.  He became fascinated by the fact that he could reflect light into dark places, where the sun would never shine – crevices, closets, deep holes.  It became a game to see how I could get the light to shine in the most difficult places. 

As he became an adult, he realized that this was not just a child’s game, it could be a metaphor for what he could do with his life.  And, he said, he realized he was not the light, but the light of truth, understanding, love, and compassion is there, but it will only shine in some dark places, in the dark places of people’s hearts or of society’s injustice,  if I reflect it. 

The blind man at the end could see clearly – he was not the light – but he wanted the Pharisees, his neighbors, all who would in coming centuries read about this miracle to know that Jesus was the light – and our lives can reflect that light into the darkest corners of earth.  Do you see?