Dirt, Spit, and Water

Our world is a dark one. We walk this life in the darkness of the valleys, not on the bliss of the mountain tops, even though we walk faithfully with God. Things happen in our life that we cannot explain: a spouse dies, a child is suddenly taken ill, you receive a frightening report from the doctor. We live in this fallen world surrounded by disease, darkness, and death. But where does spiritual darkness come from? Darkness comes from sin. The apostle Paul teaches that through one man, Adam, sin entered into the world. In Romans 6 we learn that the wages of sin is death: sin leads to death. From sin and death spring spiritual darkness, disease, and sorrow.

How do we overcome death, darkness, and disease? Jesus overcomes it for us for only he is the "Light of the World." When Jesus shines his light into our spiritual darkness, the darkness must flee. Everything that accompanies darkness (sin, disease, and death) is snuffed out. We see one example of Jesus shining his light into the darkness of a blind man in the Gospel of John, chapter nine.

"I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing (John 9:5-7).

This is such a fascinating way to heal a man. Sometimes, Jesus heals people with a command, other times he invites them to stand up and walk. However, this time, Jesus uses tangible means of mud, spit, and water to bring healing. What can we learn from this?