Open Your Eyes and Tell – Matthew 9:27-31
“…two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us…the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.” Matthew 9:27-31
When two blind men followed Jesus and begged Him for mercy, then declared their faith He could perform the miracle they desired, Jesus gave them their sight – and admonished them NOT to tell anyone what He had done. How they responded to His miracle and directions to keep the miracle to themselves contains an awesome, and convicting, lesson. Why did Jesus tell them to be quiet about what He had done? These verses don’t say, but Jesus may have wanted some crowd control given the masses following Him when they heard of His miracles. He also may have been testing them. Could they really keep quiet about the phenomenal gift of new sight He had given them? No matter Jesus’ reason, the men’s response is astonishing.
They didn’t tell just one person. Not just a few friends. Nor just family. They told a whole COUNTRY, or region, of people! Why did they tell? I can only imagine they were so awestruck, and thankful, for what Jesus had done, they could not contain the wonderful news. The lesson? We are not instructed NOT to tell the world about Jesus; we are commanded TO TELL. Yet how many of us will not only not tell a whole country, but will tell few, if any, at all? How can we say we are thankful for the salvation, and infinite blessings, of the Lord, yet be too consumed with fear, shame, pride, embarrassment, distraction, discomfort, and busy-ness to tell others about the love and salvation of Christ?
Notice the Bible says Jesus gave them sight by opening their eyes. We need to open our eyes to the world’s need to hear, and our responsibility to tell, about the salvation of the Lord!