9.2 Seeing Beyond Beliefs
Heads up! It's time for a pop quiz. Fill in the blanks to the following song lyrics:
“Come and listen to my story
'Bout a man named ____
A poor mountaineer,
Barely kept his family ___.”
Nice job! Yes, we're talking about Jed, Jed Clampett, a poor mountaineer who barely kept his family fed. From 1962 to 1971, America laughed every week at the ridiculous antics of the Beverly Hillbillies. That was “back in the day” when we could all laugh at each other, but that's another story.
A Blast from the Past: The Beverly Hillbillies and the Comfort of Familiarity
If you don't remember, Jed was out hunting, and his shotgun blast missed the target and struck oil. To put it another way, "And then one day, he was shootin' at some food, and up through the ground came a-bubblin' crude.” Now Jed is a millionaire, and the only proper thing to do is load up the truck and move to Beverly, Hills, that is. Jed, Granny, Jethro, and Ellie Mae start a new life in Beverly Hills next door to the Drysdales.
For the next nine years, we watched them try to fit their new life into the template of their old life, or life as they had always known it. And that's what was so funny. The swimming pool became "the cement pond," the pool table became the "fancy eatin’ table," and Ellie Mae’s bra became a "double-barreled slingshot.” They were more comfortable that way, and besides, learning what these things were and how to use them properly would not have been nearly as funny.
The Trap of Certainty: How We Twist Reality to Fit Our Beliefs
One of the side effects of certainty, or being so sure that we are right, is twisting and turning things to make them fit into life as we have always known it. We view them through our filter and force-fit them into our template. Sometimes, they fit; sometimes, they don’t.
“I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for truth - and truth rewarded me.”
A Lesson from the Man Born Blind: Revealing God's Works in Us
In the last segment, using the "man born blind" as an object lesson, Jesus introduced the truth worth more than all the oil in Tennessee: Each person was born "so that God’s works might be revealed" in and through them. This discovery turned a small-town carpenter into a rabbi and Messiah, several fishermen into world changers, and a man born in darkness into a shining example. It has the power to open our eyes and change our lives, too.
To my grandchildren and their children: Each person was born "so that God’s works might be revealed" in and through them. Take this truth, insert it into your silence, allow it time to take root, and grow into the very fiber of your being. Personalize it, and say softly to yourself, "I was born so that God's works might be revealed in and through me.”
The Struggle to Accept New Truths: Overcoming Confirmation Bias
In true Jed Clampett fashion, the bystanders in our story pushed the hat back slightly, rubbed their foreheads, and tried to make heads or tails of it. It begins their reshaping process, turning this into something they're more comfortable with and fitting into life as they have always known. They asked, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he,” and others said, “No, but it is someone like him.”
If you want to view this story metaphorically, John may be telling us that “the man blind from birth” represents the disciples, who formerly were considered of no more value than the blind beggar but whose eyes are now opened to the truth.
Personal Experience vs. Tradition: The Pharisees and the Man's Testimony
In this segment, the twisting and turning continues in verses 13-17:
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.”
The Pharisees measured Jesus against their external rules and labeled him a "sinner." The man measured Jesus against his personal experience and labeled him a “prophet.” Let’s continue with verses 18-25:
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
The Freedom of Truth: Embracing New Insights in Spiritual Growth
It can be quite challenging to accept a "new truth," particularly when convinced that your way of life is the only right way. This tendency of the Pharisees is part of human nature, and I struggle with it. It's the"old dogs, new tricks” idea. Instead of accepting, we often look for evidence to support our old beliefs (confirmation bias) or interpret the evidence to fit our long-held views (self-justification). This individual inflexibility can even spread through whole populations. As “truth is marching on,” resistance builds. Consider the significant changes in our lifetimes and see how resistance comes first. I want to be more flexible on the “front side of change” and not immediately default to “resistance.”
As for the parents in John’s story, I can’t overlook the standing order of excommunication for anyone who adopted Jesus’ truth and lifestyle. No wonder they said, "Ask him.”
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
These men were separated from Moses by 1500 years of slow change, yet they preferred to believe what had been handed down rather than what they had experienced. I get it. Change is hard. The man counters with logic based on his experience. John wants me to recognize that I have been born into an ongoing narrative, raised in my culture’s ideas, and beliefs have become “baked in” my consciousness. What do I do when I discover an element of this collective view is not true? Do I hold onto it to strengthen my faith? Not anymore! Millie taught me that.
“Premature certainty is the enemy of the truth.”
“The truth shall set you free” suggests that letting go of untruths is necessary to attain freedom despite human resistance that keeps us bound. In our story, the man born blind races toward the truth with his sight-giving freedom. “I do not know how,” he said. One thing I do know. I was blind, but now I see!” His answer to the Pharisees demonstrates that sometimes, that which is perceived through spiritual consciousness is unexplainable.
In his book The Motivation Manifesto, Brendon Burchard questions what happens when we stop striving for freedom. He says, “We relinquish our free will to a society of strangers that speaks not of liberty and courage but of conformity and caution.” What happens then? "We become those masked souls who spend their time wandering in the wilderness of sameness and sadness. We become tired and weak. We lose our nature.”
Let’s conclude with verses 35-38,
35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
Hemingway’s Iceberg and John’s Sweet Spot: The Depth of Spiritual Encounter
Ernest Hemingway's super concise writing style was called "the iceberg theory," meaning it’s simple on the surface but contains so much more below. That label could also apply to John as he briefly describes this astounding encounter between Jesus and "the man blind from birth.” We could use our creativity to fill in the details of how and where Jesus searched for him. We could expand on Jesus' compassionate heart that led to leaving the 99 and searching for the one. Furthermore, books have been written on the meaning of the "Son Of Man,” but John prefers to go right to the "Sweet Spot" and leave the rest to our imagination. He asks, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He could have said, “Do you believe that man can have contact with heaven in his consciousness and follow his creator’s code within his spirit?” And I wish we could have peeked into the formerly blind man's consciousness when Jesus said, "You have seen him!” There is so much meaning, so few words. Hemingway would've been proud.
Answering the Son of Man Question: Finding Truth in Our Own Experiences
What about us? How do we answer the Son of Man question? Our answer must come from our own experiences. Do we see things now that we could not see before? Have we heard inaudible words within our consciousness? “Well then,” Jesus would say, "There's your answer! You have seen him!” If the answer is no, perhaps we can wait by the pool a little longer and wash off a little more mud.
Key Takeaways:
Just like the Beverly Hillbillies clung to their old ways despite their new wealth, we often resist new truths that challenge our established beliefs, leading to a distorted understanding of reality.
Jesus taught that each person is born "so that God’s works might be revealed" in and through them. This truth still has the power to transform lives - even ours.
Accepting new ideas is difficult, especially when they conflict with long-held beliefs. This is a common human tendency, but growth requires the willingness to unlearn and relearn.
The Pharisees judged Jesus based on their rigid rules, while the blind man recognized Jesus as a prophet based on his personal experience. This contrast underscores the importance of personal encounters with truth.
This segment emphasizes the importance of openness to spiritual experiences, which can reveal deeper truths. Like the blind man who gained physical and spiritual sight, we, too, can gain new insights and understanding.
As Jesus said, “The truth will set you free. " This implies that embracing new truths, even when they challenge our existing beliefs, is the path to true freedom, essential for spiritual growth and enlightenment.
“The space between cells, breath, words, and thoughts is also you, if not the real you.”
