The Blind Leading the Blind
Jane Williams, 2016
In 2008, I, along with Pat McMurry, founded Love Columbia (formerly Love INC of Columbia) to promote interconnectedness and cooperation among local churches, particularly in their efforts to serve our neighbors in need. In 2010, when I lost most of my eye sight and then went totally blind in 2013, I made the following entry in my prayer journal: “Lord, help me best glorify You with my life. How does needing so much help glorify You? How does such weakness and limitation help to expand Your kingdom? Help me, Lord, to find the purpose and significance in this loss.”
At that point, I sensed the Lord revealing to me His own manner of appearing on Earth:
I came as someone in need. Though I needed nothing I revealed Myself to man as one dependent on otthers. I was a Man who had no home of My own and often had to rely on the hospitality of others.
I was supported by friends as I traveled to teach and preach. At the climax of My ministry, I made My entrance into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey and dined with My disciples in a borrowed room. I was anointed for burial with oil purchased by someone else. I received help carrying the cross and drink while hanging on it. My body was placed in a tomb provided by another man.
Even in the doing of miracles, I often asked for help. Bring food… so that I might multiply it. Go get a fish… so that I could draw out a coin to pay taxes. Fill pots with water… so I could turn it into wine. Often I said ‘Your faith has made you well’ including others in the healing that I performed.
I told the world that I do only what I see the Father doing. And at the end of My ministry, I freely admitted tthat tI must go so that the Holy Spirit could take over to fulfill His role.
Interconnectedness, dependency, each one having a part and giving what they could, valuing others’ contribution - this is the life I demonstrated, this was the life I came from and continue to experience within the Godhead. This is the life we will know forever.”
I believe God was and is encouraging me to embrace my vision loss as a deepening of my understanding of these principles and that my obvious need for others can actually serve to promote the mission of Love Columbia. Perhaps one literally blind person can serve to reoveal that we all are “blind” in some way and need the help and insights of others.
It took four writers to tell the gospel narrative we cherish in our Bibles. Perhaps it will take all of us to present the gospel to our city in our day. One thing I know for sure is that God intends no shame to be associated with being in need and, in fact, insists on it in order for us to serve His purposes in the world.