Seeing Beyond the Trees

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

Mark 8:22-26

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he

had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

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In the four gospels, Jesus performed over 37 miracles. Each one served a specific purpose. None were performed randomly, for amusement, or for show. In Mark 8:22-26 it tells of a miracle that was a little different from the others Jesus performed.

When Jesus spit on the blind man’s eyes and placed his hands on the blind man he was not instantly healed. Instead, he was only partially cured but unable to see the entire picture. The blinded man could only see “men who looked like trees walking”. So, Jesus once more put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 

Have you ever heard the phrase “you can’t see the forest for the trees"? Simply put, you cannot understand or appreciate the bigger picture because you are focused on a few parts. You might be standing too close only able to see what is in front of you. Or maybe you are hyper focused on only a small part.

The elitist Jews in Jesus day was so focused on living the “law”, they missed the best part. They didn’t recognize their Savior. It is easy to get so wrapped up in life that we forget to live.

We get busy doing things like getting the kids out the door, and we miss how precious and wonderful they are. We get so wrapped up earning money we forget to stop and enjoy the simple blessings that are all around us. Before you know it, children grow up and move, the sunset fades into night fall and you realize, hey … I have missed something very important.

Here at Thanksgiving and Christmas there is so much work preparing for the holidays. Yet, we often forget the most important reason for the season. We miss the best

part.

So why didn’t Jesus, in Mark chapter 8, get on with the miracle? Could it have been that He was in a rush? Maybe Jesus didn’t hold his loving, healing touch long enough. The scriptures don’t explain why.

However, it reminds us that, at times, our healing might need to come in stages. Maybe Jesus’ gentle healing touch needs to be administered more than once. Grace might

need to be revealed slowly over a lifetime to be appreciated.

At times, faith and self-control are the key to experiencing all of God’s grace which is given. Our psalmist sings to us this morning to “Be still and know that I am God”.

"I have a great gift to give to you," Jesus might say. "A gift paid for with a great cost." Let us never forget the cross. A Savior who died in our place for the forgiveness of sin. Yet God has something greater. Beyond the tree He gives everlasting life.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” -John 3:16

Amen.