When Jesus once healed a blind man, “he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. … He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.”[1]
This gesture has always caught my attention. At other times, His words or the marvelous touch of His protective hand were enough for the faithful to be healed. But on this occasion, He made clay from soil and His own spittle, then anointed the eyes of the humble and faithful blind man with this healing balm, who, after washing his eyes, could see for the first time in his hitherto dark life.
We can learn something from this merciful event. His part (the spittle) and ours (the soil) together produce a healing mud that helps others attain a spiritual vision of their lives that will change them for the better. Together with the Lord, we are part of that mud, enabling His children to see as the Lord sees them.
In the story, Jesus asked: “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”[2]. This new man, with new opportunities in life, answered, “Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.”[3]
We don’t know, but it is very likely that this man’s life was completely changed when he gained his physical sight and also his spiritual sight, and he devoted his life to emulating the Lord Jesus Christ in service to his fellow man.
It is characteristic of the humble disciples of Jesus Christ not to keep for themselves the blessings they have received, but to share them with all those who are willing to listen and receive them. They are people who seek to do good and share the love of the Savior they receive from the hands of their Master.
One rainy day, my beloved wife Elisa, our little daughter Beatriz, and I were in our car, merging onto a highway, when we saw a small and frail elderly woman walking on the side of the road. The heavy rain had soaked through her thin clothes. We were too fast to stop, but we just looked at one another and turned our car around as quickly as possible. When we came back to the woman, we stopped the car, and my sweet wife ran to help the poor woman while I called the police. We gave her a seat in our car, dried her off, and wrapped her in a warm blanket. We promised her protection and safety. We stayed with her until a police patrol arrived and, after making some inquiries, the officers took her into their care. They expressed their appreciation for what we had done for this good woman who had been walking with a sad face in a dangerous place.
When we continued our journey, we were grateful to the Lord for allowing us to be His hands and to share the care and kindness He bestows upon us daily with this lonely woman.
When we do our part, the Lord does His. He ennobles us and lifts us to unimaginable spiritual heights. When we make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father, He binds us in a special way to give us access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. “Our Father wants a deeper relationship with all His sons and daughters, but it is our choice. As we choose to draw nearer to Him through a covenant relationship, it allows Him to draw nearer to us and more fully bless us.”[4]
It is my plea and invitation that we be that soil that He used to heal. I testify that Jesus Christ is the great Healer of our souls. May our part always be united with His, so that we may become one with Him and “be like Him.”[5]
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
[1] John 9:6–7.
[2] John 9:35.
[3] John 9:37.
[4] “Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ,” J. Anette Dennis, General Conference, April 2024.
[5] Moroni 7:48.