Preach it Girl
Join Auntie Lala for a SASSY retelling of stories from the Bible—a jaunt so lively you’ll think the scriptures were written just yesterday, not thousands of years ago.
On the Preach it Girl Podcast, you’ll feel encouraged and loved, but you’ll also laugh—hopefully out loud—at the quirky characters of the Bible. These beloved men and women falter, fail, and flop—just like us. And just like us, they’re altogether forgiven.
Now that’s the best news fit to preach!
Preach it Girl
From Blind to Bold: A Beggar's Transformation
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to see for the very first time? Not just with your eyes, but with your soul? In this modern-marvel of an episode you won’t just get told the story, but you’ll actually hear from the man himself. That’s right for the first time ever, join Auntie Lala for an incredible interview that reaches beyond space and time to speak with the man formally known as the Man Born Blind.
This story in John 9 is a masterclass in courage, transformation, and what happens when religious rules collide with divine love.
When Jesus encounters a man blind from birth, he doesn't just restore his sight—he ignites a fire. Using nothing but mud, saliva, and instructions to wash, Jesus performs a miracle that shatters cultural assumptions about sin and suffering. But the religious authorities can't celebrate this transformation because it happened on the Sabbath, and their rules matter more than the truth and this man's newfound vision.
What unfolds next is extraordinary. The formerly blind beggar transforms from a passive recipient of alms and healing to a bold defender of truth. As the Pharisees interrogate him repeatedly, his spiritual vision sharpens while theirs dims. His parents cower in fear of excommunication, but he stands firm—even when it costs him everything. "One thing I do know," he declares with new-found clarity, "I was blind but now I see." His journey culminates in a beautiful moment of recognition when Jesus seeks him out after his expulsion from the synagogue, revealing himself as the one they’ve all been waiting for.
This episode invites us to examine our own spiritual blindness. Where are we clinging to religious exercises at the expense of love and compassion? Where might we be missing God at work because it doesn't fit our expectations? And most importantly, do we have the courage to speak about Jesus to others when we've encountered His transforming touch? Join us for this powerful exploration of sight, insight, and the courage to stand firm when everyone else looks away. Subscribe now and share your thoughts with us—we'd love to hear how this ancient story speaks to your modern journey!
Welcome back to Preach it Girl podcast, where we aren't just sitting around waiting for Jesus to return or Skinny Pop to make us skinny. No, ma'am, we aren't just taking up space, but we're taking back what the enemy has stolen and given him a terrible, awful, very bad day. Today we are in John, chapter 9, and I am so excited about this episode. I'm doing something kind of unique and crazy and we do have a special guest. But first let me read you the story about the man born blind. As Jesus passed by, he saw a man blind from birth and his disciples asked him Rabbi, who sinned this man or his parents? Wow, okay, let me continue. We must work the works of him. Who sent me? While it is day, night is coming when no one can work. Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him go wash in the pool of Shalom, which means sent, and he got sent to the pool. So he went and washed and came back seeing for the first time in his life what the neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying. Isn't this the guy who was born blind, who we always saw begging in the streets, and then some people were like no way, that's not possible. And then other people were like well, it sure looks like him. You know these neighbors, they're kind of bossy because they just swoop him up and take him to the Pharisees. Now, this is the religious establishment of the day. They were the boss of the community, basically.
Speaker 1:Now it was Sabbath. It was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Jesus kept doing that. I think he was having a good time. He's like it's Sabbath, let's go heal some people. I love that about him. So basically the neighbor said then how are your eyes open? And he answered the man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and received my sight. And they said to him where is he? And he said I don't know. So the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight and he said to them he put mud on my eyes and I washed them and I came back seeing Some of the Pharisees said this man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. You know, jesus is called the Lord of the Sabbath. But others said how can a man who is a sinner do such things? Now they're using their noggin. There was a division among them. They said again to the blind man, what do you say about him? And the blind man said well, it's obvious, he's a prophet.
Speaker 1:The Jews did not believe that he had been born blind. I mean that's just kind of funny. So they called his parents in, like we know your parents and we're going to ask them. So the parents come in and let me tell you these parents they had been going through it. The community believes that if you are born blind, somebody sinned. So it was either them or the child. I'm sure they have been the ones under the microscope since day one and I'm sure that made them feel different.
Speaker 1:An outcast in the community, someone who wasn't good enough. I mean people just whispered they got some secret sins hiding in that house and all along. That wasn't true. And the parents said look, we know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he sees we do not know. Nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he's of age, he can speak for himself. Because they were scared. His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already said that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ the Messiah, he was to be put out of the synagogue. What does it mean to be put out of the synagogue? A lot. It means you're treated like a Gentile and not a child of God. You're an outcast. They'd already been outcast from the get-go. I mean they did not need another thing right.
Speaker 1:Then the Pharisees called back the blind man. You need to give glory to God for your healing. And we know that that other man is a sinner. And he said well, whether he is a sinner, I do not know One thing. I do know that, though I was blind, now I see. And they said to him what did he do to you? How did he open your eyes? And he answered them I already told you and you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples? Oh Lord, he's getting sassy now.
Speaker 1:And they reviled him. Oh, just like they treated Jesus, so they reviled Jesus and they reviled this man, because he said he didn't know what he was, but he knew. He opened his eyes. You are his disciple, but we are the disciples of Moses, they said. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from. The man answered why.
Speaker 1:This is amazing thing. You don't know where he comes from and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, god listens to him. Wow, he grew up learning that God listens to the people who obey him, that God answers the prayers of his children. And then he says never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. Wow, if this man were not from God, he could do nothing. They answered him you were born in utter sin and would you teach us? And they cast him out out of the synagogue.
Speaker 1:So that wasn't just a we just threw you out on your butt right here. It was get out of here and don't come back. Well, jesus heard that they get out of here and don't come back. Well, jesus heard that they had cast him out and haven't found him. Doesn't Jesus just always go get you?
Speaker 1:If you got thrown out, jesus is not afraid to come outside and get you. No matter where you are, jesus will come out to wherever you are and he will get you. All he needs to know is that you want him to. That's all he needs to come and get you. I mean, he's ready to come get you 24-7, 365 days a year. But he honors our will, and so that's. The only requirement is that you say oh God, jesus, help me. And there he is, lickety split, not even a blink happens between heaven and earth and him sitting right in front of you, ready to pull your butt up from the mud and throw some on your eyes too, if you're blind.
Speaker 1:So Jesus heard that they'd thrown him out and haven't found him. He said do you believe in the son of man? He answered and who is he, sir? That I may believe in him? And Jesus said to him you have seen him and it is he who is speaking to you. He said Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. Jesus said For judgment. I came into this world that those who do not see may see and those who see may become blind.
Speaker 1:Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things and said to him are we also blind? Jesus said to them if you were blind, you would have no guilt. But now that you say we see, your guilt remains. Oh man, jesus throws out some stingers. But I love what he says to the former blind man you have seen him Because Jesus made it so he could see him. That is so cool. That is so cool, wow. Okay, you guys, let me introduce you to someone who went from living in darkness to literally seeing the light and then totally schooled. Those hard-hearted elite religious folks Give it up for the man formerly known as well, the man born blind.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me. It's wild to be here and you know seeing you.
Speaker 1:Ha, I bet. Okay, let's rewind Before the miracle. You grew up well without sight. What was that like? And let's talk about the whispers. My sources tell me people actually. Yeah, it was rough.
Speaker 2:Not being able to see was one thing, but the why was always a question and the idea that it was because someone maybe my own parents messed up. It wasn't exactly a great feeling, but Jesus cleared that up real quick. He said it wasn't about sin at all. It happened so the power of God could be seen in me, like my whole existence was just waiting for this mind-blowing moment.
Speaker 1:Okay, pause, that is a serious glow-up reason. Fast forward to the main event. Jesus sees you walking along this interesting thing with spit and dirt, not gonna lie, sounds like a DIY facial gone wrong tells you to wash it off in the pool of Siloam and bam, you wash and you come back seeing, after being blind your entire life. What in the actual world did that feel like?
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, describe it. It's everything. One moment I'm just trying to follow directions, hoping this weird mud spitting thing works, and the next the world just opened up Colors, faces, the sky. My neighbors saw me and were totally freaking out. I mean, imagine seeing your own hand for the first time.
Speaker 1:That's incredible. But then, because this amazing miracle happened on the wrong day, the Sabbath of all days, the religious authorities, the Pharisees, got to get involved. Were you scared dealing with those guys, the rule checkers? You just got your sight Everything's new and suddenly you're in interrogation mode.
Speaker 2:Honestly, yeah, a little. They had all the power and they were already divided about Jesus. Some thought he was bad news because he worked on the Sabbath. Others were like normal sinners can't do this stuff. They kept asking me the same question. I told them what happened. Jesus made mud, put it on my eyes, I washed them and I saw Simple.
Speaker 1:Simple for you maybe, but then they pressed you. They wanted your opinion and you fresh eyes and all. They didn't even believe you were born blind and called. Your parents who, bless their hearts, were so scared of getting kicked out of the synagogue for saying Jesus might be the Messiah that they basically pleaded the fifth.
Speaker 2:Yep, my parents were afraid. All right, the leaders had made it clear Talk about Jesus and you're out.
Speaker 1:You basically asked if they were secretly fans.
Speaker 2:Well, they didn't like that. They cursed me out, called me his disciple and said they knew God and Moses, but they had no idea where Jesus was from.
Speaker 1:As if that matters when he's opening eyes. Born blind, that's what.
Speaker 2:I said it's very strange. He healed my eyes and they don't know where he comes from. Everybody knows God doesn't listen to sinners and nobody in the history of the world has opened the eyes of someone born blind. If this man wasn't from God, he couldn't have done it. It's simple logic.
Speaker 1:You went from blind beggar to theological debater, schooling the experts. That was incredibly brave, especially knowing your parents were terrified of being kicked out. You risked the same thing by standing up to them. Was that fear there, or was the truth just too important?
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm not saying I ain't a sinner, isn't everyone. But yeah, they threw me out. It happened just like they said. But the truth, seeing and knowing what happened, I couldn't deny it and I couldn't pretend Jesus wasn't from God after what he did for me. Being thrown out wasn't great, but honestly, standing there seeing them refused to see the obvious, it felt important to speak up and Jesus found me afterwards anyway, and I'd rather spend one minute in that man's presence than 10,000 elsewhere.
Speaker 1:And that, folks, is why this man is a legend. He didn't just gain sight, he gained the courage to speak the truth, even when it cost him his place in the community. Talk about seeing things clearly. Thank you so much for sharing your story of Jesus' power and your sassy boldness with us at Preach it Girl.
Speaker 2:Thanks for having me and keep seeing the light of Jesus.
Speaker 1:You got it and you listeners. You keep seeing the light too, or keep seeking it and looking for the truth. Hey, if dum-dum sauce is getting spread around like barbecue sauce, somebody's got to speak up. So remember, don't be afraid to get a little sassy when needed. And I love you. Don't forget to listen in next time for Preacher Girl.
