John 9:18-41

Be Still: Lord, I slow down, I stop in this moment, to encounter you in your Word, Amen.

Read: John 9:18-41

One thing I do know, I was blind but now I see. (v25)

Encounter: He towered intimidatingly over me - an angry parent confronting a young teacher. I found my voice: 'Did you know you're quite frightening standing up - can you sit down?' Taken aback, he sank into a chair mumbling: 'Well, I can see you're not afraid of me.' (Not true - I'm not a naturally bold person - but at least he didn't detect the inner jelly!)

In our passage, the poor parents of the healed blind man were totally intimidated. Not surprising! They're ordinary people hauled for interrogation before the mighty Jewish council, the 'Sanhedrin', which had the power to punish or even excommunicate them. Excommunication could effectively see them thrown out of society, as much ostracised as lepers. No wonder they keep passing the buck to their son. 'Ask him!'

And their son certainly answers. How bold he is! He tells his interrogators how it is. 'Once I was blind, now I see.' He even argues with them that the Man who healed him must be a prophet.

So, they 'throw him out', almost certainly with the intention of excommunicating him.

Immediately Jesus goes to find him and reveals himself as Son of Man. The once blindman turned bold man, worships his Saviour.

Apply: Like me you may not naturally be bold. But then neither were the frightened disciples in the upper room after the crucifixion.

What made a blind beggar bold? An encounter with Jesus. What made the disciples bold? An encounter with the Risen Jesus and then, when they were ready, the receiving of his Holy Spirit. You and I don't need to try to be bold in our witness for Jesus. We need to encounter him, spend as much time as possible with him, receiving with open heart, the gifts of the Spirit. We might then be surprised when we're suddenly bold!

Devote: Teach me, Lord how to encounter you every day.