Believing is Seeing

“When he had thus spoken, he [Jesus] spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.” (John 9:6)

You and I have seen enough trick photography to know that the old saying, “Seeing is believing” is not an actual truism. On the other hand, we Christians know, from both the Word of God and our own experience, that believing is very often the first step to seeing. This story found in John chapter nine is an example of this.

Unlike most other healings where Jesus spoke and/or simply touched the afflicted individual, in this case, He took something from His own human body (spittle), mixed it with part of His creation (dirt), and formed clay. He then placed the clay on the man’s eyes, and instructed him to go wash in a pool of water (v.7). The man did as he was told, and it was then, the Bible says, he “came seeing.” He didn’t see when Jesus put the clay on his eyes; he received sight when he exercised faith by going to the pool.

Besides giving us a picture of the balance between God’s initiative and our response in salvation, this story shows that God is perfectly at ease using His creation, and His creatures, when He heals. He may simply touch our bodies, but He is just as apt to use human means to set in motion the healing process. (Dr. Luke was with Paul to the end [2 Tim.4:11]). Either way, there is no healing without God.

Whenever you and I are in need of healing—physical, emotional, or spiritual—we should remember, God doesn’t have a “standard procedure.” Therefore, if we want individual care, we would do well to leave the means to Him. But however He chooses to work His healing power in our lives, it will always be accompanied by a manifestation of faith on our part.  

Doubt dreads to take a step,

Faith soars on high;

Doubt questions, “Who believes?”

Faith answers, “I!”