An Extraordinary Life

Reflections on John 9:1-7*

Living in Christ, we should want MORE! More of him and to become something more and different than what we think we’re supposed to be. God created us to be extraordinary!

From my own perspective, He created me specifically to grow. And growth requires humility. It demands that I admit to myself that I am supposed to be more than I am.

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Here are some "Goldilocks-like" pillars of intellect representing stages of knowledge as it relates to personal growth:

- Intellectually arrogant - TOO SURE of oneself.

Characterized by excessive pride in one's own understanding and dismisses the perspectives of others. This mindset can severely hamper personal growth because these types of people believe they know everything already. Typically, they are overconfident, defensive, and tend to ignore definitive and contradictory evidence. They stop learning.

- Intellectually uncertain - NOT SURE ENOUGH of yourself.

Characterized by a lack of confidence in their own understanding and reliance on the opinions of others, often to gain acceptance. This mindset limits personal growth because it prevents independent and critical thinking and self-correction. They focus too much on their perceived lack of knowledge and allow others to dictate. They believe they know nothing and need constant validation.

- Intellectually humble - JUUUUST RIGHT, i.e., the perfect amount of understanding.

Often called "the Golden Mean" between arrogance and servility. People with this mindset are humble enough to learn something new. This mindset contains the awareness of one's own limitations and an active curiosity for learning. It is the most conducive for growth and development, fostering curiosity, open-mindedness, and willingness to rethink one's belief system when better evidence comes along. The intellectually humble acknowledge that "I don't know" is a perfectly good answer. They focus on finding the truth and not proving themselves right. They know how little they understand and try to keep learning.

So, turns out, spiritual growth behaves the same way. It happens when I am:

• Humble

• Open

• Malleable

In John 9, Jesus and his disciples are walking along, and they spy a man begging who has been blind from birth.

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.

Bad things happen to good people, right? Affliction occurs not because of sin, but that through our troubles God's goodness may be seen. And if we're paying close attention, we're reminded that God is good.

We often believe bad things happen because we aren’t living right. “Rabbi, who sinned?”

We often blame the afflicted for their affliction. We judge the Samaritan woman at the well in chapter 4. We believe her to be promiscuous. Unfaithful. A slut. In reality, we don't know why she had so many husbands and shacks up with another man. Maybe they were awful men, or she's a bad judge of character. Maybe they were abusive, wanted younger women, or they cheated on her.

The disciples are shocked that Jesus even speaks to her. She only comes to the well at high noon to avoid the gossip of the busy bodies from her village, Sychar.

They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”

We blame the blind beggar. "Was it because of his own sin, or his parents' sin?"

We say unfortunate things like, "There's a reason for everything." No. Sometimes terrible things happen to the best, kindest, sweetest, most god-fearing people. Some people are just born blind. Period. Look at Job, for example. He was an honorable and righteous man, yet he lost everything, and yet he still saw God's goodness.

People are skeptical of change in others. They can’t accept what they see.

Take the blind beggar, for instance; he was humble, malleable, and open. He let Jesus put mud on his eyes! When asked by the Pharisees, “Where is this man?” He responds by saying “I don’t know” — a valid answer. He doesn't try to show how smart and clever he is, give in to the opinions of others, or seek validation.

Then there are the Pharisees. Skeptics. They're arrogant and will never see Jesus. Take a look at Nicodemus, an expert in Jewish law. He was skeptical at first. He sought answers. He doubted the status quo. Jesus caused him to doubt all that he had understood his whole life. Yet, he too, was humble, malleable, and open.

So I have to ask myself this question: Am I too in love with what I already believe to allow new and compelling information to change me?

What I find shocking about this narrative in John is that the only one who is out of his skull with joy ...is the, now former, blind beggar. That to me is astonishing. No one is leaping for joy. Nobody is giddy with glee! The beggar is tickled at all the colors and sights in his no longer cloudy view.

So many are focused on their lack of understanding and give in to the opinions of others—the neighbors, the parents. So many are skeptical—the Pharisees. So skeptical, in fact, they bring him in again for questioning. They're so arrogant that they curse him.

To the beggar's credit, he tells them, "Can't you see where he is from? Can't you see the power of God? Can't you see God's goodness? Aren't your eyes open?"

All these people stood around and gave reasons why they couldn’t worship God in the moment of a miracle. In the moment of God's display of power and goodness.

Remember, some will:

• Some reject Jesus

• Some will be scared.

• But some...some will believe!

When miraculous moments arise, am I going to be humble enough to accept that God is at work in my life? Am I humble enough, malleable enough, open enough? Wouldn't that be extraordinary?

Blessings,

Joel

*Personal notes on sermons and studies delivered and facilitated by Josh Whitson and Michael Clinger, New Garden Church