Into Sunshine

I was content with my lot. Every day, my father would lead me to the road where I would sit and beg. He would then go away to the little blacksmith shop we had near our home, to eke out a living for our family. The world was full of sounds for me. I could easily recognize the baritone voice of my father and the gentle voice of my dear mother. A few other voices also would ring a bell of recognition.

                                            As I sat by the road, a medley of voices and noises pierced my ears. They were music of sort to me, starved as I was, of sensations. To that I would add my voice, grating and rough but my own. From time to time, I would cry out. "Alms, alms, please give me some of your alms!"

                                            When I felt the sun to be hot, I would take the small bundle my mother has sent with me and eat some bread and a small fish. The wineskin full of water was half empty by that time. I would feel in my bowl and count the coins. "How much money had I made?"

                                            I would hear the tinkle of the coin whenever a kind man tossed it into my bowl. And bow down to them silently, in gratitude. Just before sunset, my father would come faithfully to fetch me. We would silently walk the two miles to our humble home. My mother would wait for me patiently. We would all pray together and have our evening meal together before going to sleep.

                                        This was my routine every day. On Sabbath days, my parents would go to the synagogue to worship the Lord God Yahweh, our great God. I would stay home and wait for them. Challenged people like me were not welcome at the synagogue.

                                            My world of darkness was relieved only by the colors of sounds. I would dream sometimes of being able to see something. It was only a dream. I didn't even know what to dream about seeing. My dreams were grey and uninspiring.

                                            A day dawned and I went as usual, hand in hand with my father. We went to the wayside and father left. After one or two hours, I sensed a commotion. Many voices, a hubbub of sorts. I heard these voices come closer and closer to me. I heard clearly some talk going on. What was it about? I wondered and tried to eavesdrop.

                                            One voice became clear to me. "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Suddenly I realized that this man was talking about me. Me. I started listening carefully.

                                            A gentle voice replied to that man. It was a voice of love and truth. A voice - full of authority but loving. That voice said, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

                                            I was enthralled by the voice. I could sense that the Rabbi walked closer to me as he spoke. He lifted me up. He spat upon the ground and made some mud. He gently applied this mud to both my eyes. His touch on my eyes was soothing. I sighed with relief. Then, wonder of wonder, he addressed me. He talked to me. Me a poor blind beggar. Yes, the Rabbi spoke to me. He said, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam"

                                            Immediately I left, stumbled my way to the pool, some bystanders helped me reach Siloam. I went into the pool and washed my face. Once I did that, I was shocked. I jumped with joy and started leaping. I could see! My eyes, which were closed from my birth, were opened!!  For the first time in my life, I could walk in the sunlight. Till today what was merely a warmth and heat to me, was the lovely sunshine. I continued to make it back to the way to see my healer, the Rabbi, whom I have not yet seen! 

                                            But he was gone. Disappointed, I went home by myself. Seeing my mother and father for the first time, I recognized them by their voices and embraced them. Both were flummoxed. Who was this?

                                          They could not recognize me! Once they did, their joy knew no bounds. We shed tears of joy as we hugged each other, shedding tears of joy.

                                            Many of my neighbors came pouring into our home. They were also astonished. Some of them asked, "Is this not the man who used to sit by the wayside and beg?" Some said yes and others said, "He only looks like him" I jumped up and shouted, "I am that man."

                                         I had to repeat my statement that I was blind earlier, as more and more folks came to see me, to confirm. I did enjoy being the center of attention for a while.

                                            These neighbors then asked me, "Then how were your eyes opened?" I was able to answer that truthfully, I told them, "The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So, I went and washed and received my sight."

                                        They then asked me, "Where is he?"

                                        I replied, "I did not know."

                                      They marched me to the Pharisees. I realized that the day on which the Rabbi restored my sight, was a Sabbath. They again asked me how I received my sight.

                                     I replied plainly, "He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

                                    The Pharisees were divided. It appeared that some of them thought if Jesus was from God, he would keep the Sabbath. They asked me again, "What do you say about him since he has opened your eyes? "

                                    I had no doubt and I immediately replied, "He is a prophet."

                                    As I stood before them, the Pharisees called for my parents. I saw father and mother come into their presence. They were afraid. The Pharisees asked them "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"

                                   In their fear, my parents decided to put the blame on me. They said, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."

                                   Again, they called on me. They told me, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."

                                   I was shocked. How can my gracious healer be a sinner? I said, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

                                   They again asked me, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

                                   Exasperated, I replied, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?"

                                    This made the Pharisees wild. They mocked me and shouted at me. "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."

                                    I was flummoxed.

                                   This made me declare honestly, "Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

                                   Highly incensed, the Pharisees castigated me soundly. They said, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?"

                                   They cast me out of the temple. I was now an outcast. But I still rejoiced because I could see!

                                   Jesus, the Rabbi who healed me sought and found me after that. He asked me, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

                                   I replied, "And who is he sir, that I may believe in him?" The Rabbi then revealed himself to me. He said, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you."

                                   Then I realized that the Rabbi who healed me, was the Messiah, the Christ of God. I fell prostrate before him, and worshipped him, saying, "Lord, I believe."

                                   The Lord Jesus then said, "For judgment, I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind."

                                   I heard the Pharisees respond to him. They said, "Are we also blind?"

                                   The Lord said, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains."

                                   The Lord Jesus spoke many gracious and truthful words. I could not but follow Him, the rest of my life. I became one of His followers.

                                   "Yes, folks, I was blind, but now I see. I was steeped in physical darkness and walked into the sunlight, thanks to my Lord Jesus. More importantly, I was steeped in sin, and the Lord forgave my sins and made me walk into the brilliant sunlight of righteousness! I praise and thank the Lord Jesus Christ! There is none like Him!"