Gradual Growth
READ
Ever noticed how some things in life happen gradually? Like learning to ride a bike—you don't just hop on and race through traffic. First, there are training wheels, wobbly attempts, and probably a few scraped knees. In today’s story, Jesus performs what you might call a "two-stage" miracle, and it's packed with meaning for anyone who's ever felt like their spiritual growth isn't happening overnight.
Let’s take a moment to read Mark 8:22-26:
They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”
REFLECT
Today’s story begins with some people bringing their blind friend to Jesus in Bethsaida. Already, there's a beautiful lesson here—sometimes we need friends who will literally lead us to Jesus when we can't find our way ourselves. These friends aren't passive; they're actively begging Jesus to help. We must never forget the people in our lives who've dragged us to the right place when we couldn't see it ourselves.
What happens next is fascinating. Jesus takes the man outside the village—away from the crowd, away from the noise. It's like those moments when God needs to get us alone to do deep work. Maybe that's why some of our biggest spiritual breakthroughs happen when we're finally quiet enough to pay attention.
Then comes the unusual part. Jesus spits, touches the man's eyes, and asks, "Do you see anything?" The man looks up and says, "I see people; they look like trees walking around." Okay, pause right there—if any of us got even partial sight after being blind, we'd probably be throwing a party! But Jesus isn't finished. He touches the man's eyes again, and this time, everything becomes crystal clear.
This is the only recorded miracle where Jesus heals someone in stages. It's like He's giving us permission to understand that sometimes—actually, maybe most times—clarity comes gradually. Think about your own faith journey. Remember when you first started reading the Bible? Some things probably looked pretty fuzzy, like "trees walking around." But as you kept at it, things started becoming clearer.
The gradual nature of this healing speaks to everyone who's ever felt frustrated with their spiritual progress. Maybe you're thinking, "I've been praying about this for months, and I still don't have complete clarity." Or "I've been working on this character flaw forever, and I'm still not perfect." This story whispers, "Hey, it's okay. Even Jesus sometimes worked in stages."
This isn't a story about Jesus needing two tries to get it right—it's about Jesus knowing exactly what this man needed and how he needed it. Sometimes our spiritual healing, our understanding, our growth comes gradually, and that's not just okay—it might be exactly what we need.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
Where in your life do you need to be patient with gradual growth?
What "partial sight" are you grateful for, even as you wait for full clarity?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Jesus, thanks for being patient with our gradual growth. Help us celebrate the "partial sight" moments while trusting You for complete clarity. Thank you for friends who lead us to You, and give us patience when healing and understanding take time. We trust Your timing and Your process. Amen.