Talk About a Change of Scenery!

Read: John 9:1-7; John 9:30-38; Ephesians 5:1-11; Colossians 1:13-14

I can only imagine. Many remember that song where the singer tried to picture what heaven might be like. Imagination. What a good way to use this gift. Thinking about the joys that will be ours throughout eternity when we are with Jesus, John 14:1-3; Psalm 16:11.

As wonderful as heaven surely is, today I was walking in my imagination down a different path. Imagining what it might have been like for an unnamed man whom we meet in the scriptures in John 9. He is identified as a man born blind. Imagine it. He was mightily blessed not only once but twice by Jesus, and I wish we had more details about those wondrous two days. If we may, let's imagine together how this gentleman's life changed and be amazed that we also have experienced a dramatic life altering experience and be in awe, once again, of the God Who still does miracles.

Let's look first at the man born blind and his "before picture." No doubt, he often heard the same words that the disciples uttered. That same tiresome question concerning whether he or his parents had sinned. Surely, it was believed, that someone's sin had caused him to be born blind. How freeing it must have been to hear Jesus' words that reassured him that his blindness was not punishment. Instead, it was the platform from which God's glory would be displayed. We can only imagine how odd it must have been for this man when Jesus made mud from dirt and saliva and placed it on his eyes. Then to have received the directive to wash in the pool of Siloam. What was it like to wash in the water and come up seeing? For the first time? The new things he saw in the days to come? The Bible simply tells us the wondrous fact that he could see. Without further comment. Can we imagine what it looked like when he first saw the sky? Birds flying? The faces of people? The beauty of the sunrise when it reflected upon the white marble of the temple displaying the beautiful colors shining like gold? The list is endless of what could have been said on that first day, but there is more to imagine. As wonderful as seeing surely was, how many new things did this man need to learn? How different his life surely was and how many adjustments did he encounter when Jesus' power and love made him into a new man?

Yet, this was merely the first miraculous gift from the Master, and may I say from the perspective of one who is blind, it is the lesser of the two miracles Jesus did for this man. Why? Because physical sight is an incredible gift, but it only is for the here and now. In John 9:30-38, Jesus made him a new creature, 2 Corinthians 5:17. He actually became a citizen of a new kingdom, having been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into God's kingdom of light, Colossians 1:13-14! Not only were his eyes opened physically, in this second miracle, his whole life was given a new purpose and perspective, and this second miracle is available to us all, John 3:16. It is easy for us to forget that when we lean wholly on Jesus for our salvation and are born again, John 3:3, we begin a new life. Talk about a change of scenery. We receive new sight that is even greater than the beauty the man born blind received. Our perspective changes because the Living God makes us new on the inside. When that happens, we start to learn a different way of living because we have new eyes. Back to the man whose eyes Jesus made new. Can we imagine how different his life became? Think of the things he needed to learn. Good things; yet, it would take time to adjust to his new reality.

It is the same for us and indeed, all believers. We each believe in Jesus at different stages in our lives, having experienced all kinds of joys and wounds prior to our conversions. No two of us are cookie cutter Christians, and the Lord patiently works in each of our lives so that we resemble our Savior more and more, Romans 8:29. What a good reason to be patient with ourselves and other believers. We are all learning to walk with the new vision God has given us, and praise God, we are all being changed from glory to glory, 2 Corinthians 3:18. Let's look at a few characteristics of this new way of living.

In Ephesians 5:1-10, God's man Paul points out the importance of finding out what pleases God, Ephesians 5:10. Because we are God's dearly loved children, we are to live in a loving way, Ephesians 5:1-2. Instead of crude speech, our speech should be characterized by purity and thankfulness. There is a lifetime of things to learn about the God Who created and loves us and how we can display His love to others. After all, we are learning a new way of walking. One that is illuminated by the One Whose perspective is perfect. In these verses, as was stated above, we are reminded of the importance of pure speech. How different we look when God helps us change the words we speak. Talk about a change of scenery that those around us will see.

This week, Dave Wilson of Family Life Today told about a time when one of the men with him asked him why he didn't cuss. All of the others who worked with him did, and Dave Wilson's life was different. That was an open door to tell his friend about Jesus.

We thank You Lord that like the man born blind, we can say that we once were blind but now we see, John 9:25;2 Corinthians 4:6. Thank You for opening our eyes so that we can experience this change of scenery!