Eye Opening Experiences
written by: Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
““They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?””
Day two of the blind man healed by Jesus was also eventful. The religious leaders continue to call Jesus a sinner, but now, they are turning their focus to the changed man. They tried to get information on Jesus they could use against him. But their questions had the potential to change lives.
It wasn’t until I was a pastor that I felt challenged to tell my faith story. I thought, “Oh No, I am a pastor; my faith story needs to have the natural disaster of Paul getting hit by lightning, the selflessness of Mother Teresa, the courage of Martin Luther King Jr., the intellect of John Calvin, and the skills of Albert Schweitzer. Alas, I am just plain old, dull Scott. I have nothing unique to share about my relationship with the divine.
It took some time, but I realized that one’s faith story isn’t some sort of competition. Also, the goal in sharing one’s faith story isn’t to one-up other people or to provide the most adventurous or eccentric story. It is to share how God has made a difference in your life. It shares how God opened your eyes to the divine in your midst. Most people relate more to faith stories that are similar to their own. Often, the more outlandish the story, the less compelling it is in helping the other person contemplate their own faith story.
Today, take some time to intentionally focus your prayers on “opening your eyes” spiritually. Ask God to guide your memory so you can remember the significant spiritual moments in your life. Formulate your thoughts into a cohesive story that you can share with others. In sharing our faith stories, others learn about God and how God works in each person’s life. I trust God to bless you and open your eyes to God’s work in your midst.