URC Daily Devotion 16 June 2025

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’  Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’  He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshipped him.  Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgement so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’  Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’  Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see”, your sin remains.

Reflection

A man born blind, healed by Jesus, now sees everything—including the ugly side of humanity. First, the Pharisees interrogate him like he’s the prime suspect in some bizarre crime: “How dare you be healed on the Sabbath?!” Then his parents throw him under the bus to avoid trouble. And to top it all off, he gets excommunicated! A bad day for most people, but this man gains something far greater: he meets Jesus face-to-face and sees the truth for the first time.

And in other news, the people who think they can see—the Pharisees—are utterly blind to the light standing in front of them. Their spiritual vision is fogged up with pride, fear, and rules. Jesus doesn’t mince words: “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Ouch.

It’s easy to deride the Pharisees, the Bible seems to encourage it, but let’s pause. How often do we act like we see clearly when really, we’re stumbling in the dark? We cling to our opinions, traditions, and assumptions, convinced we’ve got it all sorted. Meanwhile, Jesus stands before us, patiently waiting to open our eyes.

This passage reminds us that true sight starts with humility—admitting we’re blind without him. The man born blind could’ve walked away after his healing, but he stayed open, curious, ready to see who Jesus really was. And because of that, he gained more than sight; he gained salvation.

So, let’s be brave enough to ask: “Lord, where am I blind? Show me what I need to see.” His light might reveal some uncomfortable truths, but it’ll also lead us into clearer vision and deeper joy.  Seeing clearly begins with surrender. Are we ready to take off the blindfold?

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You are the light to open blind eyes and soften hard hearts.
Forgive us when we cling to pride and refuse to see.
Humble us, we pray, and reveal the truths we need to embrace,
even when it’s uncomfortable.
Give us eyes to see your grace,
courage to follow your light,
and joy in knowing you more deeply each day.
In your name, the healer of hearts and vision, we pray. Amen.