Spiritual Sight

Children often play this game, but I do it too, now and then just to make sure I don’t take a precious gift for granted. I shut my eyes and try to function as if I were blind.

I usually can’t do it for long. My normal routine includes activities that require vision. However, even a short session reminds me to be extremely thankful for the ability to see, and how much my life would change if I could not.

Scripture talks about spiritual blindness. This is the inability to see the kingdom of God and understand what it is all about. In John 3:3, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” A few verses later, He says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). God’s renewing power is needed to both see it and enter it!

In compassion and the power of God, Jesus healed those who were physically blind. After the Holy Spirit came to fill the disciples of Jesus Christ and signal the beginning of the church age, the disciples also healed some who were physically blind. While this demonstrates the compassion of God on those who are sightless, it also points to the power of God to heal spiritual blindness. This came together in the conversion experience of the apostle Paul.

His name was first Saul, and he hated Christians. He thought they were enemies of the God he served so persecuted them, even to death. One day, on his way to do more of the same, he was stopped by Jesus Christ. In that encounter, he was struck physically blind.

Jesus had Saul’s (Paul’s) attention. There is nothing like being unable to see to make you feel helpless. It also sharpens your other senses. Even when I “fake” it, I’m aware of my need to hear so I pay far greater attention to every noise and voice.

Paul did too. He heard God speak and obeyed Him when sent to a man named Ananias. At the same time, God also told Ananias to meet Paul.

Acts 9:17 says, “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’”

In Paul’s story, the symbol or illustration of spiritual blindness and actual spiritual blindness came together. This man could not see, literally and figuratively. His blindness made him stumble and fall. His spiritual blindness prevented him from realizing that God was calling people to Himself, people who, through faith in Christ, would be known as His children and His followers. They were not God’s enemies.

After receiving his sight, Paul “immediately preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. All who heard were amazed, and said, ‘Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem . . . ? But Saul (Paul) increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.”

Paul, like the blind man Jesus healed in John 9, could now also say, “One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” He understood the plan and power of God. Not only that, he gave his life to follow Jesus and do His will.

How can I explain the kingdom of God to those who are blind? I cannot. I cannot close my eyes and pretend to be like them so as to better understand their thinking either. Spiritual blindness once removed cannot be brought back. Now that I see, I cannot ‘not see.’

In some cases, medical science can restore lost physical sight. I hope I never have to find that out first hand. However, even though I cannot ‘operate’ on those who are unable to see Christ, I am rejoicing today that God can do it. He can open the eyes of anyone who is spiritually blind. I’m also rejoicing that I too can say, Once I was blind, but now I see.