John 9:13

The people who spotted the now-sighted-but-who-previously-claimed-to-be-a-blind man take him to the Pharisees. John 9:13 EFP 

One second the man is basking in the sheer joy of his new-found sight, searching for the mystery man who had granted him this miraculous gift; the next, he is being herded into the temple to face the religious authorities. This is quite a sudden and unexpected turn of events.

It occurs to me this development is the result of either the doubt cast on this man’s lifetime claim of being a blind man in need of alms to make a living or an explanation by the religious authorities as to how this miracle was possible. It really is a Catch 22 scenario for the “changed man.” He is either a life-long fraud or he is a living contradiction to what the people have always believed. After all, if he was blind from birth, then either he, his parents, or all three of them are great sinners from a family of scallywags and thus unworthy of any miracle.  They can’t figure it out. When in doubt, go to the authorities—in this case, religious authorities.

I can’t help but see a scenario here, one that plays out in the lives of many a person who goes through a positive change in his or her life. People are confused, surprised, put-off, and sometimes even hostile to the change. They try to make sense of the transformation. They question the authenticity of the change. They mock the change. They even try to justify their doubt of the change on a religious basis. It is a sad commentary when the religious are the ones called upon to validate what cannot be seen from the outside and that is experienced inwardly.  What can I learn from this scenario?