because they are looking for the experience of some dear friend or
relative. They should not judge of their conversion by the
experiences of others. They have heard some one tell how he was
converted twenty years ago, and they expect to be converted in the
same way. Persons should never count upon having an experience
precisely similar to that of some one else of whom they have heard
or read. They must go right to the Lord Himself, and do what He
tells them to do. If He says, "Go to the pool of Siloam and wash,"
then they must go. If He says, "Come just as you are," and promises
to give sight, then they must come, and let Him do His own work in
His own way, just as this blind man did. It was a peculiar way by
which to give a man sight; but it was the Lord's way; and the man's
sight was given him. We might think it was enough to make a man
blind to fill his eyes with clay. True, he was now doubly blind; for
if he had been able to see before, the clay would have deprived him
of his sight. But the Lord wanted to show the people that they were
not only spiritually blind by nature, but that they had also allowed
themselves to be blinded by the clay of this world, which had been
spread over their eyes. But God's ways are not our ways. If He is
going to work, we must let Him act as He pleases.
Shall we dictate to the Almighty? Shall the clay say to the potter,
"Why hast thou made me thus?" Who art thou, O man, that repliest
against God? Let God work in His own way; and when the Holy Ghost
comes, let Him mark out a way for Himself. We must be willing to
submit, and to do what the Lord tells us, without any questioning
whatever.
"He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The
neighbors, therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was
blind, said, 'Is not this he that sat and begged?'"
"Some said, 'This is he'; others said, 'He is like him.'"
Now, if he had been like a good many at the present time, I am
afraid he would have remained silent. He would have said:
"Well, now I have got my sight, and I will just keep quiet about it.
It is not necessary for me to confess it. Why should I say anything?
There is a good deal of opposition to this man Jesus Christ. There
are a great many bitter things said in Jerusalem against Him. He has
a great many enemies. I think there will be trouble if I talk about
Him; so I will say nothing."
Some said, "This is he"; others said, "He is like him." But he said,
"I am he." He not only got his eyes opened, but, thank God, he got
his mouth open too!
Surely, the next thing after we get our eyes opened is for us to
open our lips and begin to testify for Him.