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31 August 2007
John 9 v 17-23
They asked the man again, "What do you say about him since it was your eyes he opened?"
The man answered, "He is a prophet."
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and could now see again. So they sent for the man's parents and asked them, "Is this your son who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?"
His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we don't know how he can now see. We don't know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, who had already decided that anyone who said Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That is why his parents said, "He is old enough. Ask him."
How annoying it must have been for the blind man not to be listened to. Have you ever not been listened to? Or have you ever had your parents being asked about something instead of you? The blind man's parents were sent for when his answers were not believed. But they did not want to be listened to.
The blind man's parents were afraid to say what Jesus had done for their son. Have you ever felt afraid when someone has asked you what you believe? Afraid of being rejected or attacked or ridiculed? People may question you when you talk about Jesus - they may listen to what you say or they may think it's not what they want to hear. And we need to listen to others so that we can hear them and meet their needs, exactly where they are. In our fast pace of life it can really make a positive difference in someone's day to really be heard.
A list from the Bloemfontein Samaritans to reflect on:
"You are not listening to me when you do not care about me, you say you understand before you know me well enough, you have an answer for my problem before I've finished telling you what my problem is, you cut me off before I've finished speaking, you finish my sentences for me, you find me boring and don't tell me, you feel critical of my vocabulary, grammar or accent, you are dying to tell me something, you tell me about your experience making mine seem unimportant, you are communicating to someone else in the room, you refuse my thanks by saying you haven't done anything."
Lord, give me the time and patience to listen to everyone I meet today. Amen.
Written by Sarah Beston
John 9 v 17-23
They asked the man again, "What do you say about him since it was your eyes he opened?"
The man answered, "He is a prophet."
The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and could now see again. So they sent for the man's parents and asked them, "Is this your son who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?"
His parents answered, "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we don't know how he can now see. We don't know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself." His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, who had already decided that anyone who said Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. That is why his parents said, "He is old enough. Ask him."
How annoying it must have been for the blind man not to be listened to. Have you ever not been listened to? Or have you ever had your parents being asked about something instead of you? The blind man's parents were sent for when his answers were not believed. But they did not want to be listened to.
The blind man's parents were afraid to say what Jesus had done for their son. Have you ever felt afraid when someone has asked you what you believe? Afraid of being rejected or attacked or ridiculed? People may question you when you talk about Jesus - they may listen to what you say or they may think it's not what they want to hear. And we need to listen to others so that we can hear them and meet their needs, exactly where they are. In our fast pace of life it can really make a positive difference in someone's day to really be heard.
A list from the Bloemfontein Samaritans to reflect on:
"You are not listening to me when you do not care about me, you say you understand before you know me well enough, you have an answer for my problem before I've finished telling you what my problem is, you cut me off before I've finished speaking, you finish my sentences for me, you find me boring and don't tell me, you feel critical of my vocabulary, grammar or accent, you are dying to tell me something, you tell me about your experience making mine seem unimportant, you are communicating to someone else in the room, you refuse my thanks by saying you haven't done anything."
Lord, give me the time and patience to listen to everyone I meet today. Amen.
Written by Sarah Beston
