Scripture~
Numbers 12-13, Psalm 68:19-35, John 9

     Now we see the beginning of rebellion in the people of Israel; if I’m doing my math right they are not even 2 years outside of Egypt and already they are complaining about Moses’ wife and later on they forget who is with them. When the men report on the land they are to inhabit they look only to physical strength . . . they forget that their Lord God is with them. They have yet to learn that through Him they can do all things. They have yet to learn that their God is the all powerful Lord Jehovah, the Alpha and Omega . . . and they will pay for it with 40 years in the wilderness.
     The new testament passage . . . it’s a painful reminder of how often this type of ordeal happens even to this day. I am fortunate and blessed to have a church home where this type of attitude does not persist. But I have been in places . . . it pains me to say, some churches that behave as the Pharisees toward the blind man. They are so focused on it being the Sabbath and how something was done, or when . . . but they miss the point of who and why. They kick the man out because he proclaims the truth; because he was blessed and it did not follow the Pharisees ‘methodology’ of who should be helped. They were so focused on who’s sin had caused the mans blindness that they didn’t focus on the person and work towards healing his blindness.
     I think this is the point . . . there is a big difference between religion and faith. Those following a religion are typically quick to point out other peoples faults . . . focus on the sin as opposed to the sinner. While those of faith truly seek after Christ and focus on the sinner, as opposed to the sin. The church has done a good job of alienating itself from the people as the people that make up the church have had a misguided focus at times. When you care more about what a person wears to church or how much money they make or the car they drive . . . than worry about the person, the individual, their immortal spirit . . . then you’ve lost focus.

     Lord I pray that I’m always keenly aware of my place in Your kingdom. That my focus is placed where Your children are, and that we follow Your example of meeting people where they are . . .