2.16.2015

The Blind Man at a Crosswalk

One of the most stressful moments of my life. I was sitting at the light waiting for it to turn green. I could hear my heart beating in my ears and my palms were sweaty on the steering wheel. I had seven minutes before the rental office closed and I had in hand the final key to turn in and terminate our rental contract. It had been a long three days and I was ready to collapse, mentally and physically.

As I stared blankly out into the intersection, I casually glanced at those waiting to cross. The crosswalk turned green and the countdown was on. 45 seconds, and I was a free bird, headed to finish this tumultuous, time sensitive process.

I noticed a blind man approach the end of the sidewalk cautiously, with his walking stick just beginning to venture out into the street. He walked carefully feeling his way through the crosswalk as if he´d done this many times before and was aware of the busy chaos ensuing around him. The blind man used his stick as his guide and ventured out, half way across the street.

That´s when I noticed a man crossing in the opposite direction. He zoomed passed the blind man, at a confident pace, apparently with business on his mind. He got to the other side of the street, turned around, and noticed the blind man still struggling to get across. He quickly turned around, took a firm grip of the blind man´s arm, and whispered something in his ear as he embraced him. With one arm around the blind man´s shoulder and the other hand firmly gripping the walking stick arm, he swept the blind man across the crosswalk in the same confident pace as when he had walked alone. The blind man, without hesitation, picked up his feet and appeared to be almost running as he accompanied the man leading him, totally trusting every step and now at a pace he´d never known with his walking stick. The two men walked on and I saw them disappear into a crowd.

That´s when it hit me, I had just seen my entire life flash in an instant before my very eyes. I once was blind, but now I see. That is exactly what Jesus did for me so many years ago. I was lost, hesitantly using my crutches to support my weaknesses and stumble through life. Until Jesus firmly grabbed onto me, and never let me go. He takes me at His pace now, and I lean on Him to lead me.

He is honestly all I need.