What happens when our spiritual vision gets things backward? Ryan explores two powerful Gospel narratives that flip conventional religious understanding on its head.

First, we dive into John 9, where Jesus heals a man blind from birth—but the real story isn't just about physical healing. As the formerly blind man progressively recognizes Jesus (first as a man, then prophet, finally as the Son of Man), the supposedly clear-sighted religious leaders grow increasingly blind to God's work happening right before them. Their rigid adherence to Sabbath regulations prevents them from celebrating a life-changing miracle.

Then we explore the striking parable from Luke 18, where two men enter the temple to pray. The respected religious leader catalogs his moral achievements, while a despised tax collector simply pleads, "Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner." The shocking twist? It's the broken tax collector who leaves justified before God. The religious leader believed he was playing a game with clear rules—check the right boxes, perform the right rituals, avoid the wrong behaviors—but missed that God isn't interested in spiritual scorekeeping.

Both stories invite us to confront uncomfortable questions about our own spiritual vision. Are we like the Pharisees, technically "seeing" but missing what matters most? Do we approach God with a checklist of our accomplishments or with honest acknowledgment of our need? The most hopeful truth emerges: those who recognize their blindness and brokenness position themselves to receive true sight and resurrection. Perhaps our greatest spiritual strength is admitting how desperately we need God's mercy.

Join our community at Central in Elk River at 8:30 for our liturgical gathering, 10:00 for our modern service, or online at clcelkriver.org. Have you experienced this paradox in your own spiritual journey? We'd love to hear your story.

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