Jhn 9:1
¶ And as [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man which was blind from [his] birth.
Jhn 9:2
And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Jhn 9:3
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
Don't the disciples sound like a lot of so-called Christians that you know? Something bad happens and it's time for the church members to break out the ole cross again. Either that or bar-b-que and french fry some struggling Christian.
Let's start off with a very important point. None of us are perfect, especially me. There are thousands of mistakes that I have made and every one of them I regret. A lot of them I regret with a broken heart but that doesn't give me a chance to do it all over again to get it right. As for right now.......today is concerned.....it won't take a whole lot of lookin' to find faults in my life. U-u-u-u-h.........and if I spent some time around you, I could find a couple if I was looking. However, don't count on me looking. I learned a long time ago, through many bumps and bruises on the road of life, it's a lot easier to enjoy someone when you're not looking for their "sins". When you get right down to it, and you took the time to do it, you could write down more good things about folks than bad things. I know, I know, it might take a lot longer to find the good in some people, but if you were to get into the habit of looking for the good, you would get into the habit of finding the good.
You see, looking at people with their faults at the center of your thoughts acts like a veil between you and the other person. When you get around them 'zip' the veil goes up and you almost don't hear a word they say or see a thing they do because you have put their 'sins' between you and them. If, while you are around them, you would find something good about them and think about that, you would sense that veil being torn to shreds. The problem you might have now is that you will find yourself liking that person. Isn't that a gruesome thought?
Let's look at God's heart manifested through what Jesus did. The apostle, Peter, spent a lot of time side by side with Jesus and he summed it up with this: 1Pe 4:8--And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. The disciples were not ole meany-guts. They were normal, everyday guys doing what the normal, everyday person is prone to do----judge people just like everybody else does. They heard it all of their lives. Their mammas and daddies did it, uncles, aunts, etc. The neighborhood did it. Everybody did it........but Jesus.
Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Creater God. God gave all of His authority to bless and curse to the Heir to the throne, Jesus Christ. Father God did not come down and brow beat Jesus into submission and MAKE Him like the blind man. Jesus, with the Divine Love of Almighty God beating in His heart, CHOSE to ignore the man's past and had only ONE thought about him. That thought was this---"I just CAN'T let him stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to see s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." You have heard it preached over and over again---For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That included this man. However, Jesus never asked him was he 'saved.' He never asked him was he 'baptized.' He never asked him what church he was affiliated with. His love covered the multitude of this man's sins and Jesus healed him. Th Word of God also, says that He treats everybody the same. You know what He says about me? His love covers the multitude of my sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let Henry stay this way while I have the power to heal him. I want him to be healed s-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him right now." How about you? What does God say about you? His love covers the multitude of your sins and He says----"I just CAN'T let him/her stay this way while I have the power to heal him/her. I want my beloved to be healed s-o-o-o-o bad. I have GOT to heal him/her right now." He is the same to all of us.
Can we see two things. First of all, God doesn't hate you for anything. There is no reason at all why God doesn't love you. There is no reason that exists. Quit beating yourself up and accept the love of God into your heart. Forget your past. Jesus did, even before He died for you. He sees your need and hears the cry of your heart for the mistakes you have made in the past. He is overlooking any and all sins that you have committed and wants nothing else but to hold you in His arms until the hurting stops.
More importantly, we need to practice the second thing. And that is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. (I've heard that before, haven't you?) Forgive them so that God can forgive you. Then, cultivate the desire to see that person healed on the inside as well as on the outside. As you allow the love of God to be perfected in your life, God's love will flow into every conversation that you have. You will become a conduit for His very presence, the irresistable drawing of the Holy Spirit of God. In essence, you will be come a soul winner. AND, you will find your own heart being healed as you strive to bring healing to others. Is there any grudge that you may have worth holding back healing for you and your loved ones? Absolutely not.
Good Forgiving and Good Loving my Friends,
Henry
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