I once overheard this conversation in a hospital hallway:
“Figure it out. Your little boy, he’s sick because you two (pointing) didn’t get married before you had him.”
“WHAT?”
“Yeah. That’s how it works. You sin. You pay.”
“Really? So, tell me, what caused YOUR sickness?”
“What? I’m not sick!”
“Sure you are. Ignorance is a sickness. You know what I learned? See that nurse over there? She told us about the guy that Jesus told to stick spitty mud in his eyes. Jesus made that mud – get this – from the dirt of the world and part of Himself (his spit). Then He sent the guy to the pool (the nurse said it was the “Sent” Pool) to wash it all out. Guess what happened? Jesus beat the dirt of the world. Washed it right out. So whatever the dirt is in your eyes, brain, wherever, let Jesus have it. Let Him spit all over it. You’ll be amazed at the new vision you get. I was. And if there’s hope for me, surely there’s hope for you too. See ya.”
Here’s the biblical account of Jesus’ “spitty mud” encounter:
As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who was blind from birth. Jesus’ disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his parents?”
Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents. This happened so that God’s mighty works might be displayed in him.”
After he said this, he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and smeared the mud on the man’s eyes.
Jesus said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went away and washed. When he returned, he could see. (John 9:1-3,6-7)
Life kicks up dirt and dust quite often, blurring our vision of the presence of Christ in our midst. Sometimes life spits on us (and worse), and we are blinded by the illusion that these struggles define our lives. We are literally overcome with dealing with the imperfections, pain, and realities of making it through one day at a time.
We can become as blind as the man Jesus met that day. We are blinded by the illusionary definition of life the world markets to us. We lose sight (literally) of the reminders and glimpses of heaven God shows us daily.
The presence of Christ is “mixed in” with the our life experiences every day. When we allow Him to wash and clear our vision (a daily spiritual practice, not a one-time thing), our lives gain new and powerful focus and strength. As we live daily in this way, we are truly “Sent” to demonstrate His amazing, grace-filled presence in the world – like the man who was born blind. We will discover new sight for true life, just as the dad in the hospital hallway did that day.
I invite you to think and pray: What “dust,” “dirt,” and “life-spit” is blurring and/or blinding you to the Lord’s presence in your life today? How can/will you let Christ wash the dust and dirt of the world out of your eyes so you can more clearly and powerfully see Him in the seasons and situations of your life?
If you continually present yourself to God in this way, like the man whose sight Jesus restored that day, you’ll find your life will never be the same. Incredible, grace-powered sight awaits you, too.