Light For The Blind
"I am the light of the world" John 9:5.

Sunday morning Pastor Warner invited two teenagers and a senior citizen to share with the congregation their responses to the previous week's mission activity.

Eighteen-year-old Mitch reported, "When our church's Braille Worker team offered to host a stay-at-home youth mission trip for us, it sounded like a bad idea. What fun could it be, I thought, to work all day with a bunch of old people, printing and assembling bulky books full of dots. I told my dad I'd paint the house instead, but he insisted I come.

"Dad was right! My eyes--and heart--were opened to the world's 58 million blind people. I now see the adults in our Braille Worker team as friends and heroes. Friends, because they willingly spent six days with us kids. Heroes, because they're part of a national organization producing Braille and large-print Bibles in 20 languages. And they give the books away for free!"

"Just like the love of God," Pastor Warner added. "Kelsey, tell us your thoughts."

"I want to thank the organizers for their creativity. Beginning the week with a blindfolded tour of the church gave us empathy for blind people. We all loved our mascot, Foster, the seeing eye dog. I cried when three blind Christians shared how God led them to faith. The visit to the Blind Mission Society outreach center showed us the advantages of a church designed primarily for the blind. The video about blind people overseas showed us how being blind is much more difficult in less-developed areas. After the video, when we made Bibles in Vietnamese, I felt like we were bringing Christ's light to the ends of the earth. Thank you, everyone, for this unforgettable mission week!"

Then gray-haired Fred spoke up, "At first, I had plenty of doubts about the success of this week. I worried that the youth might break the expensive equipment. I thought they would get bored hanging around with us old folks.

"Well, folks, I was wrong. With youthful strength they could manipulate the equipment better than we can. Their interest increased daily, until they all volunteered to help in the future--giving our Braille Workers team a sorely needed transfusion.

"As we worked together," Fred chuckled, "we began to understand what makes our different generations tick. In fact, yesterday afternoon Mitch and I snuck away for a couple hours."

"Where did you go?" asked Pastor Warner.

"Would you believe a tattoo parlor?" Grinning, Fred and Mitch rolled up their shirt sleeves to reveal tattooed on their biceps the Braille Workers' logo: a cross radiating beams of light upon the globe of the earth. Below the logo was Jesus' promise to both blind and sighted people: "I am the light of the world."

1. What blind spots did Mitch, Kelsey and Fred come to recognize? What are your blind spots regarding the blind?
2. Shut your eyes and imagine you are permanently blind. Have someone read to you John 9:1-7 (or the entire chapter, if time permits). What new insights do you now "see" in this story?
3. What do the words "I am the light of the world" inspire you to do?