Apr 13 - "Two Approaches To Believing"

“So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man (Jesus) is a sinner.’ He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’” --- John 9:18-41

When you think about your faith, what you believe, what kind of approach do you take? From which direction do you come”? Do you start with doubt and try to have your belief “proven” to you, or, do you start with believing?

Although I was already familiar with this story of Jesus restoring the sight of this blind young man, for some reason, I must have never read on into the this chapter from John’s Gospel to learn what happened after. The Jewish leaders were highly critical of Jesus. They were looking for any way to dispel the fact that He was the Messiah. With this young man, they even go to the point of badgering his family, berating him, doubting that he was actually ever blind and repeatedly questioning the facts of what happened. And, what do they do when they don’t get the young man to renounce his newly found belief? They banish him from the temple and send him away.

How about this young man? I have to imagine, that until he met and was healed by Jesus, he did not already believe that Jesus was the Messiah. He merely came and asked to be healed, probably because he had heard that Jesus could do these things. Yet, he believed it would happen. Once healed, his faith was immediate and strong. He approached the situation starting with faith, and his faith was upheld. As a brand new believer, how does he respond when questioned about the event and his beliefs? He stands impressively and simply strong. He even goes to the point to tweak his inquisitors a bit, when asked to tell of his healing a second time, by saying, ‘Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’.

By starting from a place of doubt, the Jewish leaders are unable to believe.

By starting from a place of belief, the young man is able to stand strong in the face of adversity, and his faith is strengthened.

When you pray to God for help, for healing, for forgiveness, from where do you start? Do you believe in your heart and soul that God will deliver what you ask, or are you filled with doubt and skepticism? Is your prayer spoken with the confident voice of deep faith, or is it a feeble plea with no real expectation of realization?

I am amazed at the faith of this young man. As a new follower of Christ, not even a few days from being ‘born again’, he stands stronger than I ever have, even after years of being a Christian.

So, take the approach of starting with belief. Speak your prayers and your faith assuredly with the conviction of the young man who has been given the gift of sight. When we start from the position of ‘I Believe!’, surely, our faith will be strengthened and greatly rewarded.