Winning by Losing

John 9:35-38 – Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Quite often we have to give up something of value to get something of more value. It costs to invest. We usually have to sacrifice near term pleasure to gain much more in the long term.

Earlier in John 9 the parents of the man who been born blind but miraculously regained his sight at the hands of Jesus were not willing to even admit what Jesus had done because they were afraid to lose the social acceptance they had as members of the synagogue. The man himself, though, was another story altogether.

The spiritual journey of this man through the chapter is fascinating. He started the chapter as a blind beggar with no hope for any better future. Then Jesus came, and because of his touch, the man born blind was able to see for the first time through his physical eyes. However, repeated interrogation by the Jewish leaders forced him to describe what had happened, and he began to see intellectually, as well. He recognized there was something different about this Jesus. In response, he made a bold refutation to those leaders, “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (vv 32-33) Those leaders did not want anyone to talk back to them, and they kicked him out. The very price his parents were not willing to pay, this man paid.

Yet in his getting kicked out, he got something more. Verse 35 above says when Jesus heard about the man’s loss he came to him. The rejection by a group of self-centered, uncaring men was replaced by the sincere love of an all-powerful savior who took the effort to meet him at his point of greatest need and offer him a gift worth far more than what the man gave up: himself.

The once blind man’s response shows he made the complete journey to not only seeing physically but also spiritually. In his act of worship he understood Jesus was the divine Son of Man who fulfilled the prophecy of Daniel 7:13. Whatever little he had given up in the acceptance of an uncaring club was replaced by eternal life granted by a truly loving savior. If you have not yet made a similar response in faith to Jesus, do not hesitate. It is the greatest trade off of all time.