John 9:8-12: a reflection

8Therefore the neighbors and those who saw that he was blind before said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” 9Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.” He said, “I am he.” 10They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12Then they asked him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”

The man born blind, whom Jesus has healed, faces his astonished neighbors, who can hardly believe this is the same man who used to sit and beg. And his testimony is simple and direct: A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, told me to go and wash, and I went and washed, and I received sight. He does not have all the answers; when they ask where Jesus is, he says, I do not know. But he can tell plainly what Jesus did for him: I was blind, and now I see.

Notice the simplicity of the man's testimony. He does not offer a theological argument or claim to understand everything; he simply tells what happened to him, what Jesus did for him. When they ask questions he cannot answer, he honestly says, I do not know. But what he does know, he tells plainly: Jesus did this, and now I see. His testimony was not learned or complete, but it was true and personal, the simple account of what Jesus had done for him.

That kind of simple, personal testimony is one we can all give. We may feel we cannot bear witness to Christ because we do not have all the answers, cannot argue theology, cannot explain everything. But the healed man did not need all the answers; he simply told what Jesus had done for him. And so can we. You may not be able to answer every question about the faith; but you can tell what Christ has done for you, the simple, personal account of how he has changed your life. Do not think you cannot bear witness because you lack all the answers; give the simple, personal testimony the healed man gave, telling plainly what Christ has done for you. I do not have all the answers, you may honestly say, but this I know: what Christ has done for me. Such simple, personal testimony, telling what Christ has done, is a witness anyone can give; give it, as the healed man gave his.

Lord Jesus, the man born blind, whom you healed, faced his astonished neighbors with a simple, direct testimony: a man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, told me to wash, and I received sight; and when they asked questions he could not answer, he honestly said, I do not know, but told plainly what you had done for him. Show me the simplicity of his testimony, which I can give too. I may feel I cannot bear witness to you because I do not have all the answers, cannot argue theology, cannot explain everything. But the healed man did not need all the answers; he simply told what you had done for him. And so can I. I may not be able to answer every question about the faith; but I can tell what you have done for me, the simple, personal account of how you have changed my life. Keep me from thinking I cannot bear witness because I lack all the answers; help me give the simple, personal testimony the healed man gave, telling plainly what you have done for me. I do not have all the answers, I may honestly say, but this I know: what you have done for me. Help me give that simple testimony, Lord, telling what you have done.