A Work in Progress

Mark 8:24-25 “And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.”

Mark 8:22-26 is the story of Jesus healing a blind man. However, unlike other healings in the New Testament, the Lord performed this miracle in stages. Other blind men “immediately” received their sight, but not this blind man at Bethsaida. Was this a new way to heal people? Did the Lord lack the power He once had? Did the Lord not know the first time?

No, there was nothing wrong with this blind man or the Lord. It is almost humorous what happens after the first stage of healing. The Lord spat on his eyes, and then asked the man if he saw anything-kind of like asking someone, “How many fingers am I holding up?” Imagine the person saying, “Fingers?” Well, that is almost what this man said! He could see men who look like trees walking around. Would it not be tempting for the disciples or others to grow impatient, both with the Lord Jesus and with the blind man? The Lord was healing him, but this poor blind man wasn’t getting it! But when someone is seeking the Lord and is submissive to the Lord, you can trust His healing and be patient with His timing.

Do people always see what you are trying to teach them the first time? Haven’t you, like me, often grown a little impatient with people that do not seem to get what you are trying to tell them? No matter if they are kids or adults, sometimes it is easy to be impatient when they just do not get it! But neither do I always see clearly the first time that someone teaches me something.

There can be a difference though; it is in this chapter, too. The disciples did not get it (Jesus’ teaching on the leaven), but they were getting it. Jesus had just fed five thousand people, plus several thousand before that, and He was trying to teach His disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees (Mark 8:15). They had forgotten to bring bread, so what did they immediately think of when they heard the word “leaven”? They thought of bread, and their lack of it. They were worried about the thirteen of them starving when the same Lord in their boat had fed thousands!

Now the Lord did give them some chastening (Mark 8:17-21), but they were seeking the Lord and were submissive to Him. People around us may not see clearly the first time, but the difference is, when someone is seeking the Lord and is submissive to the Lord, you can trust God and be patient.