Confidence is important. In sports, business and personal relationships, those who are sure of themselves tend to prevail over whoever exhibits uncertainty.
Yet, Ecclesiastes’ wisdom counsels a time and place exists for everything. Is certainty sometimes unwarranted? But when?
On one occasion after Jesus healed a blind man he informed those near him why he had come into the world. He had come to enable the blind to see. What wonderful news!
However, Jesus continued. He had also come so that those who see might become blind (John 9:39). What?
Some of those within ear shot of Jesus’ pronouncement raised a question. Knowing that their eyes were functioning perfectly well, they asked, “We are not blind too, are we?” (John 9:40). Jesus responded to these Pharisees that because they claimed to see, their guilt remained.
When people are convinced they already understand spiritual matters, this can create a closed mindedness. When teachableness is lost, a person is stuck with whatever they have. Unfortunately, they might be clinging to false ways.
Jesus termed such misguided over confidence in clinging to false ideas – blindness. Such people have argued, fought and railed against Christ or against an accurate presentation of God’s word.
This raises a question. On the one hand we are to hold firmly to our confidence in Christ (Hebrews 3:6,14; 10:35. On the other hand, being confident is no guarantee we are on the right track. So how do we avoid a blinding confidence?
Humility counsels adopting the wise path of remaining open to utilizing God’s word to examine what I am understanding (Acts 17:11). Our standard is God’s word, not our feelings, not our sincerity, and not others. As Paul counseled in his letter to the Thessalonian church, "Examine all things; hold fast to what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).
Unfortunately, the Pharisees were convinced they understood God’s ways. Accordingly, they rejected Jesus. They were not open to his message. However, those who knew that their lives were in shambles and in need of God moved from blindness to seeing.
Today spiritual blindness entails either rejecting Christ or being confident in a distorted version of the gospel. Yet those who know they need help, those who are willing to listen and examine, Jesus came that they might be released from their guilt and see.
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