Thursday 27th June
Read John 9:24-27
“A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. ‘Give glory to God by telling the truth,’ they said. ‘We know this man is a sinner.’
25 He replied, ‘Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!’
26 Then they asked him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’
27 He answered, ‘I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?’” (NIVUK)
Some folk believe there is no humour in the pages of scripture. I will confess I do not share that view. Biblical authors take great delight and joy in their worship and their story-telling when the opportunity presents. We can see it in today’s passage.
There is something slyly sardonic in the blind man’s response to his second interrogation. He knows that he is being made to retell his story with the intent to catch him in an inconsistency so that they can discredit him completely and dismiss the miracle. He is wise enough to see through their hypocrisy and turns the table on his interrogators with a seemingly innocent question about their determined interest in his miraculous healing.
Perhaps we are uncomfortable with recognising humour because we are concerned we don’t know where the boundary is between mocking and humour. But it is always worth remembering that laughter and joy are good for us!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22) (NIVUK)
