He was blind from birth. He did nothing himself to become blind. So, whose fault made him blind? Was it the "sin of the fathers"? Jesus, the Light of the World, could not leave him in darkness.
And he could be restored to community, once he was restored. He could be reconciled with those who thought something was wrong with him. But they found it hard to believe that he was worthy.
And he could be restored to the faith community, once he was restored. He could be among those assembled before God. But they found reasons why he might not be worthy. Then, when they acknowledged his restoration, they still labeled him "a sinner" because in their minds, still he was not worthy (like them).
And, of course, they denied that Jesus, the one who had restored him, could be of God. When their twisted logic could not reconcile what they beheld, they threw him out, one final act of marginalization.
It calls into question who were the real blind ones. We do not see what we will not see. Being blind, living in darkness, our only hope is to encounter the Light of the World. But when we encounter the Light of the World and are faced with enlightenment, we may still choose blindness and darkness, tragically, and try to shed that darkness and blindness on those around us.
Those born sick, those born poor and those born as disenfranchised minorities (women, LGBTQ, black or brown, Muslim, children of resident aliens) have done nothing wrong. Yet, those blind to the Light of the World, even some who claim to know the Light of the World, try to claim there is something wrong with them that renders them "less than" themselves, and therefore worthy only of wrath, marginalization, discrimination and exploitation.
It seems to me that it is folk who are not so enlightened who have such a worldview.
It seems to me that it is those who, deep down, question their own worth who look for others to treat
so shamefully.
It seems to me that it is those who know that they are wrong, but who desperately need to feel that
they are right and even more desperately need others to see them as being right, who look for
someone else to be "better than".
They may be professionals, neighbors, even PhD's, but their blindness to Grace and Love keeps them
in the darkness.
They may claim to be enlightened, and will desperately try to prove that they are to others, but they
dwell in darkness by choice.
They may claim to see it all very clearly, even more clearly than anyone else, but they are blind to the
darkness within them and the destruction of the world in which they live, to which they contribute.
They may seem very friendly, funny, fun-loving and even compassionate - but only with people just
like them, or who think just like they do.
They may seem to have it all together on the outside, but inside they are darkness and blindness, all
while claiming that there is something wrong with "those people".
And the Light of the World can be in their face, and can do incredible things in their lives and they
might witness amazing things in the lives of those around them, but still remain blind and in
darkness.
Does this describe anyone you know?
It describes me. Yes, I have been blind and in darkness. Little by little I have been washed in the pool, and I am seeing the darkness that has dwelt within me. And as enlightened as I like to think that I am, there are still "those people" for me, too. I still have blindness and live in murky darkness within.
For me, the elites and wealthy are "those people". For me it is the powerful and the bigoted. For me it is those who claim a faith in Jesus and do everything opposite His teachings that they can in order to promote themselves with power, wealth and status. For me it is the poor white folks, the ones with whom I grew up, who do not see that the wealthy, powerful, mostly white elites do not care for them, but just because they are straight, white and fundamentalist (male, or willingly subject to male domination) in their thinking they think they are "better than" anyone who is not - the ones who desperately try to believe they are superior to someone, anyone else. For me it is those who are oppressed by someone else, so they must find someone, anyone else they can believe is less worthy than themselves, so that they can discriminate against someone else in order to believe they are "better than" someone, anyone else.
I have met folk who are exceptions, of course, but it has not stopped me from stereotyping vast swaths of the population. When I read classist, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, ethnocentric, religiously intolerant, misogynist, nationalist, elitist, hateful and bigoted statements on Facebook or hear them on TV or the radio, and hear them from family, neighbors, co-workers, and others in public, I lump them into a growing group of reprobates in my mind and heart - darkness.
It hurts people I know and love much more than it does me, because I am a straight, white male in America. I do not call myself a "Christian" anymore because of what that stands for in America at this time in history, but I am a person of the Way of Jesus. I get so angry knowing what people think, say and do against people I love who are marginalized, though there is nothing wrong with them. And, of course, I feel justified in my anger, my angry words and my marginalization of those who continue to hurt those I love. I believe that I see so clearly who and how they are - blindness.
And the Light of the World comes to me and offers, relentlessly, to restore my sight and help me see the light. And sometimes I am just determined to perceive my darkness as light and my blindness as sight. At times I see just a glimmer of the light, and something happens or I read or hear something and go right back into my darkness and blindness. It is my frustration, but also my hope.
What I do know is that hatred does not eliminate hatred. Prejudice does not eliminate prejudice. Darkness does not eliminate darkness and closing one's eyes does not help one see. It is evil, darkness and blindness that I must attack and not those who suffer it in, like I do. Somehow, I must address the darkness and blindness from which we ALL must be liberated, instead of the attacking those who are subject to it in their lives, or I am in danger of doing and saying things to make myself feel better about my unworthy self, and "better than" someone else.
Somehow, I must advocate those who I love who are being hurt by the blindness of others that they reckon as clear sight, and the darkness of others that they believe is life in the true light. But I must do it without becoming what I do not value. Less Pharisee and more disciple, I think I should be.
If I could only help others see the wisdom and faithfulness of living in Grace and Love, and with them, myself... then, perhaps we can truly see and walk in the Light of the World.
Pastor Jamie
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