Just who was unable to see

This week's Bible Lesson includes an incident in John's gospel where Jesus heals a man born blind. It illustrates how Jesus came as a 'light to the world'. It happened on the Sabbath Day, further inflaming the wrath of the rulers, who saw his actions as defying their laws.

It began when the disciples saw the blind man begging on the street. It was commonly accepted that such a punishment came upon someone who had committed a great sin. Their question seems silly to us but when they questioned who was responsible, the unborn child or his parents, there are those who ask such questions today. They might see some defect, physical or emotional, that they believe was either hereditary or caused in the womb. In the case of the disciples, they thought the man might have sinned in a previous state of existence in accordance with the transmigration of souls or as a child before birth. The Jews attributed intelligence to unborn children. Jesus was quick to rebuke either thought because both were based on the wrong premise. He saw the man's true sinless nature.

At this point in his ministry Jesus knew his death was near. He had to do his work and show mercy while there was still time to do so. He creates clay using his own saliva, saliva being a recognized remedy for eye diseases. This might have helped the man be receptive to the healing power. He then sends him to wash it off, much as Naaman was sent to dip himself in the river to be healed of leprosy.
The man is healed and can see.

However, what was more incredible than this wonderful healing, was the stubborn blindness of the Pharisees who would only see what they considered a breach of the sabbath laws. It was forbidden to render medical aid on the sabbath, unless there was imminent danger of death. There was a special prohibition against applying saliva on the sabbath day. The Pharisses assumed the man was born blind as a punishment for exceptional wickedness. They refused to focus on the healing, just choosing to be upset with the breaking of the sabbath laws, laws put into effect by man, not by God. They would not 'see' their ignorance. They thought themselves wise and refused to learn a new way of life.

Christian Science teaches that God is not the author of sin or sickness. He does not cause His beloved childrent to sin or be sick. It is not God's law that is being broken, only silly false laws man has put into place regarding disease. The remedy is large doses of Truth, the truth about God's ever present goodness and His tender care of each of His ideas. Sickness and sin are illusions, a dream state from which we can awaken to the radiant reality of our spiritual identity. God, Principle, is the only law and it is a law of ever present good being expressed to and by man. This powerful truth can 'unclasp the hold' of any lie of sickness or sin.

Let's open our eyes to the goodness of God and to our own perfection in His eyes. Let's see what God is 'seeing' about us as the only truth. Let's not cling stubbornly to an outgrown false belief. Let's not think ourselves wise but look to God, divine Mind, for wisdom. Defy those material laws. Let in the light!