Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. (Matthew 12:22)
" + "The Story of My Life, the autobiography of Helen Keller, was adapted into one of the most famous plays in American history, "The Miracle Worker." This play explored regions of humanity that many of us can never understand because most of us are not physically blind and deaf. Helen Keller was blind and deaf. This tale explains how she was able to overcome seemingly overwhelming odds to learn how to communicate with the world through the instructions of a very enlightened teacher. Thus, the story is deemed miraculous because this woman was able to do what seemed to be the impossible.
" + "I do not mean to diminish the power of this story. Indeed, there is much to honor in that this story tells us how human perseverance can overcome all types of obstacles. But, as is true in all cases, the limitations of human capability are always identifiable in the light of God's work in the world. In the verse above, we find a story quite similar to The Miracle Worker. The difference is that the person was not suffering from being both blind and deaf. Instead, this man was both blind and mute. He could not see the world around him. He could hear but he could not speak about the things he heard. One could argue as to which one of these ailments one would choose to have. Some would suggest that lacking hearing is worse since it disables one of being able to speak. Others may suggest that not being able to speak is worse since one experiences something that he or she could never utter. In either case, the issue is the same because every human being is stuck in a predicament of blindness. All of us need Jesus to help us see, speak, and hear. The problem is that we do not recognize it.
" + "The blind-mute in this story is not simply a person who cannot see or speak. This is a man who is "possessed" by an unclean spirit. This man is not just someone who cannot speak or see. This man has been conquered by something that wants to see his own destruction. And worse, there is nothing he can do about it. He is demonized, possessed, defined and owned by something that means to hurt him. He is in desperate need but he cannot cry for help nor see a means of salvation.
" + "Physical blindness is problematic because it means that one lives in a type of darkness. Furthermore, spiritual blindness is worse. When one cannot see Jesus standing right in front of him or her, one is in bad shape. This man was only able to know that Jesus was there because others told him. And, even if he knew Jesus, he could not tell Jesus that he needed his help to see and speak. Thank God for his grace because Jesus saw his need and could use his strength to bring this man deliverance. In the same way, Jesus still heals people physically. Jesus also heals every one of us of these ailments spiritually. We have to listen to him long enough to receive the strength of the Miracle Worker to be healed from our infirmities.
" + "Brothers and Sisters, the church has a problem when we choose not to let our Miracle Worker loosen our tongues and open our eyes. If we are comfortable with only hearing the cry of the poor, and never willing to see or speak about it, then we are missing the point. If we are willing to be ok with sin in our midst, the foolishness that continues in our churches, and in our homes, by just hearing and seeing and never speaking, then we are in trouble. If we are willing, instead, to only hear things and speak on them without seeing, clearly evaluating the situations in our lives, then we will only partially deal with the problems. Christ is calling us to receive a complete healing. Unlike the efforts of the teacher of Helen Keller, who was only able to assist the young woman by helping her cope with her surroundings, God is calling us to receive our spiritual healings. We need every one of our faculties if we are to accomplish his will in the earth. We need to be able to both speak and see if God is to be magnified.
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