Provocative Blessings I

“Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him” John 9:13-14

When a man who was blind from birth gets healed, what should happen in the community? They should be rejoicing and celebrating, right? However, I read the story in John 9:1-41, more than once, and nobody rejoiced with this man. The disciples did not rejoice with him, his neighbors did not rejoice with him, the Pharisees did not rejoice with him, even his parents did not rejoice with him. Such a strange story! Everyone should rejoice with him but no one rejoiced with him and I wondered ‘why?’ Why wouldn’t people rejoice when they see an outstanding miracle? A couple of reasons perhaps:

#1. It could be because the miracle was so shocking. Something can be so shocking that people may not even rejoice. I pray that God will do a work in your life that will shock people so much that they may not even be able to rejoice because of the shock, in Jesus Name. I know some people will struggle with receiving this. But you will see it and you will eat from it so believe me!

#2. It could be because that they are out rightly evil. Some people just don’t want good for anyone because they are out rightly evil.

#3. It could be because they are religious, like the Pharisees. Sometimes we can be so stuck in our religious dogma that we do not even see what God is doing. We are so tied down to the ‘do’s and don’ts’ that we cannot even see the miracle of Jesus.

#4. Or it could be because of what other people would say. The reason that the parents did not even rejoice with him was because they will put them out of the synagogue. But did the man care whether they were going to put him out of the synagogue? What had the synagogue done for him all this time he had been there to beg? The key thing is this, even the parents did not rejoice with him because of what other people will say.

#5. And it could just be because of sheer jealousy. Some people are just jealous and it is difficult to rejoice when you are jealous. People who try it come up with a very plastic smile that everyone else can see but them.

Prayer: Father, I pray that You will preserve me, my relationship with You, and all that You are birthing and causing to bear fruit in my life, in Jesus Name.