Do We Need To Explain?

Jesus healed a blind man:

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. (John 9:1-7)

Nice little miracle, isn’t it? A man in need, a savior available, a miracle accomplished, an opportunity for Jesus to declare God’s glory. Awesome. But that certainly wasn’t the ‘rest of the story.’

The neighbors hardly recognized him and wanted to know what happened.  He gave them the facts and they wanted to see Jesus:

Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. (John 9:12)

Being religious in nature and recognizing a miracle when they see one, they went to their religious leaders, who did not want to recognize Jesus as the miracle maker since He healed on the Sabbath:

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. (John 9:16)

As most mean do, they argued amongst themselves, never looking into scripture, never praying to God for an answer. Instead they sent for his parents to verify he had been blind. Fearing these men, the parents said:

Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him. (John 9:23)

So, they did. Not knowing Jesus as his savior, the man truthfully answered:

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. (John 9:25)

When we are confronted by those who do not understand the changes, the miracle of salvation, in our lives, do we answer, “One thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see”? We should be able to do better, shouldn’t we? Too often we don’t, though we’ve received instructions.

But, sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15)

All the blind man wanted was his sight. If all we want is our salvation, an escape from hell, perhaps his answer is sufficient. If, however, we’ve understood that following Him is giving ourselves to His service, we must learn much, much more in order to give our reason for hope.