John 9:1-2
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
What do you notice first about people? Is it the way they are dressed? Their hair style or color? The look on their face? Their attitude? Perhaps you notice their shoes, or glasses, or jewelry. Do you size them up in terms of perceived financial status? Perhaps it’s only what is “out of place” that gets your attention. The number and/or type of tattoos or body piercings. Their strange dress. An obnoxious t-shirt message. The presence of a MAGA hat, perhaps. For some, they size people up literally – too skinny, too overweight, too out of shape.
You get the picture.
“As he passed by” occurs right after the nearly violent encounter with the Jewish leaders over his “I am” statement. His calmness on the heels of such madness is worth noting. Jesus was often reviled, but never ruffled. “One of the things worthy to be noticed in our Lord’s character is his wonderful quiet of spirit, especially his marvelous calmness in the presence of those who misjudged, and insulted, and slandered him” (Spurgeon). My father used to tell us to, “Focus on the donut rather than the hole.” We were raised to not waste our time on trivial matters, including the passing opinions of people that didn’t know anything about us. Jesus set the bar on that. Rather than focusing on his own trials and tribulations, He kept his focus on His Father and the people he came to rescue.
It’s a great lesson for us to learn.
Jesus was interested in the blind man’s well-being while his disciples seemed to give it no attention at all. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?” They were looking for the dirty details while Jesus looked for an opportunity to serve (Mth. 20:28). When you see a person in obvious need, what reacts first: your heart or your flesh? Is your first question, “I wonder how they ended up this way” or “I wonder if I can help in any way”? Every single person on this planet has a story. Do we care to hear it? Is it relevant to us? Does it even matter in the grand scheme of things?
Jesus cares about the details. He sees the sparrow fall and he numbers the hairs on your head. He sees your comings and goings. He knows your thoughts as well as hearing your words. He is in touch with your feelings and cares when you are struggling, He celebrates when you succeed like a cheering parent in the stands and he weeps when you weep. Jesus doesn’t see a crowd of people…he sees people. Individuals. Amazing image bearers. Potential. What do we see? What do you see?
