Turn It Around

Last week I heard an incredible message from a very sweet youth leader at one of the (many!) campus ministries I attend. She brought us to the Gospel of John, Chapter 9, where Jesus heals a blind man:

6...He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 

Throughout the New Testament we see the Lord performing miracles on a regular basis. Whether it was through the laying of hands, or simply just speaking life, he would command a healing and it would occur. Yet in the case of the blind beggar, Jesus decided that he would do something a little bit different... he spat... and then rubbed that in the dirt and placed it on a man's eye.

I used to hear this verse and wonder why that was necessary. Our speaker then went on to explain the lives of beggars--especially in Biblical days. Whether you were blind, crippled, diseased, or severely impoverished, begging was oftentimes the only mean for survival.

So, when the Lord spat, what do you think ran through this beggar's mind? Was this something he was used to? How many others that day had slurred him an insult right before spitting at his feet? Was he thinking, "Well, there goes another one..."? And yet, the Savior specifically chose to use a normally derogatory action in order to bring healing and freedom.

Ever heard, "what the enemy meant for evil, God will turn into good..."?

Yup. Oh how he loves.

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"You make all things new and I will follow you, forward."

"Moving Forward"~Israel Houghton