Last night we had great opportunity. We went to the home of some Nazarene friends from a local church. They hosted an mixed group of people who they invited to come for a Bible study - a Bible Story, actually, as I had been asked to teach the Simply The Story model of learning the Bible.
A few other denominations were represented as well as a variety of vocations. I led the group through a discovery of the account of the Good Samaritan and the reason Jesus even told that story. We had a very lively and engaging discussion.
After admitting that I am sometimes the "priest who passes by on the other side" - one of the men, who is a banker, told about recent encounters with a blind man. This particular blind man has a bit of a reputation, prostitutes, smoking weed, etc. This was already known about him, when quite unexpectedly, he moved in across the street from the banker. Suddenly, this Christian man had a dilemma. Should he risk his own reputation and possibly even personal harm...by going over to see the man and see if he had any needs?
He and his wife prayed about it and quickly decided that he needed to be a "neighbor" to the blind man. Even though he initially did not want the other neighbors to consider that he was a friend or had any 'business' with the man, they began to help out. The banker's wife would get up early each morning and make breakfast, so her husband could take it over to the blind man before he left for the bank each day. Some days, he admitted he just wanted to drop it off and run to work but made the point to go in and greet him.
Eventually, he realized that he should do more. So he began to talk to him about Jesus. He shared Scriptures and his own beliefs and was surprised to learn that the man already knew all about Jesus, in fact, at one time, he had even been a pastor!
Although born blind, he had found resources to help him study and had done well - until his life changed drastically.
The thing that struck me the most though was what the Blind Man said to the banker's wife. You see, he had already been a customer in the bank before he moved across the street from the banker. Being blind, he relies only on what he hears - which goes beyond the mere words people use. He can clearly hear their tone of voice, the inflections, the patience or impatience, their condemnation of him, etc.
The Blind Man was speaking to the banker's wife one day and told her, "I already knew your husband was a Christian before he ever told me. I could hear it in his voice and how he treated others. I knew he was a Christian. He's a good man."
Amazing! That the Blind Man "saw" the witness of Christ in the banker without ever physically seeing anything!
May we be so blessed when others see us!
Blessed in Belize!
~ Ray & Becki
