24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”
25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.
26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.” Mark 8:22-26.
First, we see that the friends of the blind man both brought him to Jesus and implored Jesus to heal him. Do we follow this example in bringing others to church and to other Christian resources? Do we pray earnestly and repeatedly for others?
Second, we see that Jesus took the man by hand. It reminds me of our annual Marriage Circle Christmas party where we hold hands in a circle before we pray. Sometimes, I am between two women and have no problem holding their hands. Other times, I am next to a man, and I am sure neither of us like to hold each other’s hands. Yet, we see Jesus not only taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village. In summary, when we interact with others, we often need to do things or receive things that may not be pleasant. We may talk to someone who “sprays what he says”. The person may smell bad. The person may say things that we don’t like to hear. But, in summary, we are commanded to love our neighbor and that necessitates such contacts.
Third, it was not all roses for the blind man as well. How many of us would welcome receiving spit on the eyes? I am reminded of the story of Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, a great man, but a leper, who sought to be healed by Elisha in 2 Kings 5:1-14. When Elisha provided the way to be healed through washing in the dirty Jordan river, Naaman was furious about this humiliating method and went away. However, his servants were wise enough to appeal to his pride and convince him to submit to the prescribed way of healing, and Naaman was cured. The main lesson is that we must be humble to receive such grace. James 4:6 states: “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” The secondary lesson is that, again, we must be good friends like the servants and not give up, but rather turn others back to the path of righteousness. James 5:20 states: “let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”
Fourth, Jesus did not need two tries to heal the blind man. I think that Jesus wanted the blind man to participate to some extent in the healing. After the first “try”, we read that the blind man was honest and fully disclosed his condition. We may receive blessings, but we may need more. Like the blind man, we should pray with honesty and full disclosure and seek further help. We are called to be persistent. After the second “try”, we also read that the blind man looked “intently”. I am reminded of Philippians 3:13-14: “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 