Have you ever looked for something, and it was right there in front of your eyes? Have you ever been so confident about something only to learn you were mistaken?
"If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see. John 9:41 NLT
Reflection
As you read the Bible, however, you do it, I hope you are struck by Jesus's words when you encounter them.
The verse that caused me to pause is this one from John. Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, essentially tells them (and us) that if you didn’t know better, you really can’t be blamed. However, when we do, we are guilty as charged.
It is hard to argue with that logic.
The best example is if someone says don’t touch that. It’s hot, and you will get a burn. So you do, and the result. You get burned. You got informed (not blind) and still decided to do what you got some good advice not to do. So you did anyway, and you get the reward—a burn.
The other day, there was a discussion about being “saved.” This is a very Christian term, and many are called to “testify” to that moment when it happened. The story that led to Jesus's words was about a blind man healed by Jesus. He had an encounter with Jesus; through that encounter, he was now awakened to the Son of God.
So how is that for you and me? What was our encounter?
Paul was guy who didn't get it until he did. It took a significant encounter with Jesus—so big it changed him for good. He isn't alone in this. Many others have had encounters with Jesus, and that encounter changed them forever. Many of those stories were so profound that it would have been hard for that person not to be thankful and joyfully share what had happened to them.
What about us? Did you have a joyful encounter?
When you grow up in a Christian faith and listen to the dogma or the “rules” shared by authority, it is pretty easy to fall away from all that noise. It can be very confusing because it sounds more like a set of instructions—sort of the “If, then else” of life. You might resonate with this if you grew up Catholic, like I did. From what I can tell, my other Christian friends have a point of view similar to their Christian Club's view.
I know I toss the organized Christian faiths under the bus often. If you have been reading what I write, you would have read, “Don’t let religion get in the way of your faith.” Jesus was teasing that out to some degree to those Pharisees. After all, in that same chapter in John, you learn that Jesus healed that guy on the Sabbath. At the time, the “know-it-all” would say Jesus couldn’t be from God because He did that miracle on the Sabbath. It sounds like a religious rule more than a God thing. Agree? Too often, "spiritual" people like to bring the “if then else” to the idea of getting into heaven or being saved. That thought makes me a little crazy. How do they know? Or they try to turn you into them. I even heard someone say "If you would believe in Jesus like me we could be closer friends." Are you kidding me!
So where am I taking this?
For me, God works on us through His Holy Spirit to get us where He needs us to be. Not in comparison to another. We are unique, necessary, meaningful, and very much needed in those circles of others we live in. We, children of God, are indeed here to serve His purposes, not ours. When we take things into our own hands, get a bit too judgy of others, and feel like we have this entire thing figured out, we must humble ourselves to our Heavenly Father, knowing we don’t know. But we know that if you believe in Jesus, you are saved through your faith in Him, your obedience to God the Father through His inspired Word, and your repentance to the sins you may have done, are doing, or will do. Fundamentally, living toward the Jesus model is the getting-it part. Any other model is missing the point, as in not getting it. Get it?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you are the ultimate judge of how we lived the life you gave us. You are the one who decides where we go when our time here is done. Thank you for giving us the Bible to help guide us in living. Thank you for the many influences towards living in a way that draws us closer to you. Father, please bring someone or something to guide us back if we falter. Thank you to Jesus and the gospel writers for sharing their experience of Him and the guidance He provided through how He lived. Please, Father, keep us, our families, and our friends safe. We pray this in the name of Jesus our Savior and Lord. Amen.
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