The Crutch To A Crippled Perception

Prepared by: Jamal Tyson

Last night I had one of the most unpredictable and explosive experiences of my life. The perfect blend of old and new- My blessings were disguised-hiding in a house that I chose to abandon for so long because from what I could see, I thought it was a danger-zone. I find myself in the mist of it all, just wanting to praise God for being The Crutch To A Crippled Perception. By now you are wondering what exactly happened last night...

Before I explain what happened, allow me to give an example; A foundation for such a realization. In gardening terms, allow me to turn the soil to make room for fresh roots.  

My pastor Terry Starks of Crenshaw Christian Center East (Harlem, NY) always tells me to find my story In the Bible.  In line with his faith, I believe that if you can identify your story in God's word, you will find how to be in line to receive your blessings.

I believe that after you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you are truly BORN AGAIN, in every since of the metaphor. And just as a newborn, your sight is a little blurry. As you develop in LIFE (your relationship with Christ,) you naturally gain sight. However, all that you have at this point is sight, YOU HAVE TO ASK GOD FOR CLEAR VISION! Again, you will develop sight naturally, but it is up to you to take it a step further and ask GOD, in the name of Jesus for clear vision!

Every example that I will give refers to BLIND MEN in the bible asking for sight. Even though we can see, in so many ways we too are blind and we should ask God the same way these men did for clear vision. Below are the 3 examples of God working through Jesus to give sight to the blind:

1.) Mark 8:22-26- One Blind Man (outside the village of Bethsaide)       
22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" 24 And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking." 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

  In Mark 8:24 when Jesus asked can you see anything, the man said that he can see people but they look blurry. I cannot speak for everyone but I believe that this is how I used to see my blessings. They looked blurry, like trees walking. I heard everyone speak of all the blessings they would receive and I could only tell people of the goodness of the Lord because of what he was doing for everyone around me, but I didn't have the VISION to see my own blessings.

 

2.) Matt 9:27-31 - Two Blind Men (early in Jesus' Ministry in Galilee)                                27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you." 30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, "See that no one knows of this." 31 But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.  

Until one day I had a realization, the only way that I will be able to have vision is if I ask God for mercy and cry out for it and by having faith and believing that God can provide it. As Jesus made it clear in Matthew 9:29- "According to your faith LET it be done to you." Jesus didn't say that it will be done, he said "let" it be done. I have to constantly learn how to "let" the blessings be done in my life.  Blessings are already here, they are all around us, they are in everything that we are able to do. However in order to receive those blessings we have to first be able to see those blessings. In order to see those blessings we have to ask god for it and learn to let it be done according to our faith. 

This brings me to my final example

3.) John 9:1-7 - The Man Blind since Birth (near the Temple of Jerusalem)               1 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, 7 saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.              

 This particular story is one of my favorites. John 9:2 Jesus disciples asked him who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind. verse 3 Jesus said neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born without vision so that God's works might be revealed in him! Is this not familiar. How many times have we said to each other, this looks like a punishment or this person must have done something really awful to deserve what they have. We talk this about people who face health problems, people who have a bad financial status, or sometimes we ask ourselves, What did i do to deserve this? 

What we see as bad, those things that look like trees walking may not be bad at all. According to God's word, in John 9:3 Sometimes we are born blind so that Gods works might be revealed in us. Sometimes we face health problems, sometimes we face financial situations, SOMETIMES OUR WORLD IS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN SO THAT GODS WORKS MIGHT BE REVEALED IN US!!!

Still wondering what happened last night?-Well, something that stood out to me in the examples of the blind men receiving sight, After they were healed he told them to see that no one knows of this. It is so easy to miss the message in this text even though it is clear. I believe that the reason why he asked that no one knows of this is because he did not want to take the glory away from God who he recognized as his father and he wanted each of us to EXPERIENCE GOD'S GRACE PERSONALLY. Because I want to be obedient I will not share the story of what happened last night, but what I will share is this:

My family and I had a rare and most cherished conversation. We laughed so hard it literally left my stomach in knots, we reminisced so vividly that it restored faded photographs inside of our mind, we lifted the barriers on conversation where nothing was off topic. Everyone talked and everyone listened, My sister, mother, and I shared the kind of intimacy that God desires for us to have with each other and with him.  We did this through something as simple and as powerful as conversation. I recognize Jesus Christ for being The Crutch To A Crippled Perception.

 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for being the voice inside of my spirit, encouraging me to find and work the blessings that you have provided for me. Lord I cried out for vision and you heard my prayers and answered them accordingly. I pray that your voice becomes stronger in the lives of those who have good sight but poor vision. Lord with the same desire we have for intimacy with each other, I pray that we seek that in you. Thank you for the guidelines that you have provided for life-the holy bible- and for the key to everlasting life-salvation. May we receive all that you have for us, in this life and hereafter, In Jesus name I pray-

Amen.