A Parable

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

– C.S. Lewis

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Two men, blind from birth, were helping each other along the road when they heard the voice of someone calling them. They stopped and swung around toward the sound and realized that a stranger had stopped to talk with them.

“Do you have a moment?” The voice said,

“Sir, we have nothing but moments these days!” They replied.

“I am so excited to speak with you because like you I was blind from birth but I am now able to see and must tell you what I have experienced that enables me to see again.” Said the stranger excitedly,

“Sir, we have no interest in hearing about that which we cannot experience, but we will listen, if it will please you.” They said, guardedly. “Please tell us of your experience.”

The stranger began:

“A few years ago a man came to my home and told me that he wanted to tell me about a cure for blindness that someone had shared with him – at that time I did not really believe that a cure was possible but I listened anyway. The man told me that like me he had been blind and had like me reluctantly listened to another man that had been healed. This cure for blindness had been passed on from one healed blind person to another for many many generations. In fact, those who were first healed of blindness had banded together to start a community for newly-sighted people, so that they could encourage one another to go out and tell more blind people about their experience. I questioned the man now standing at my door – if so many people have been cured of blindness why have I not heard about it? The man sighed and continued. It is unfortunate that over time the community of the newly-sighted began to splinter and break apart into different factions – disagreeing on the right method of explaining their cure, and some even tried to establish rules about who could receive information about the cure. But, fortunately, those who focused on the pure intention of the community were able to continue sharing information about the cure and the number of newly-sighted grew. The man shared with me his experiences as a blind man and then told me how wonderful it was that he was now able to see – he told me about sights and colors that I could not comprehend. He was sincere and I liked him – I began to trust him. I asked him to tell me what I had to do to gain my sight. The man paused – he said that the first step to gaining my sight was to believe that Red existed. I laughed – he was asking me to believe in something that I could not see and that he certainly could not prove. How ridiculous!!!

I could hear the man laugh; he had obviously heard this objection before from other blind people. He apologized for laughing but he said that he had said exactly the same thing when he had first been told about gaining sight. He said that looking back now he is amazed at his ignorance because once he was able to see he was able to realize that Red flowed inside him – his very blood was red – Red was the source of his life!!!

I could not accept the reality of Red at that time, but the man was kind and kept visiting me – helping me, befriending me – he accepted me totally, even though I did not believe in the existence of Red. Over time I saw that the man’s life was so much richer than mine – he could see things that I couldn’t – I wanted what he had. So, although I could not see Red, I began to accept the possibility that it could exist and asked if I might join the community of the newly-sighted, even though I could not yet see. The man reassured me that the community of the newly-sighted was intended for those who wanted to see – not just for those who could. He said that I only had to have faith that Red existed and that faith would open my heart and mind to see beyond the limitations of my eyes. It sounded way too mystical for me – but I saw wisdom in what he said. Now, many years later I’m here to tell you about the existence of Red and how wonderful it is.”

The stranger paused and took a breath – the two blind men shook their heads.

One of the blind men spoke:

“We are sorry – kind stranger. We totally respect your beliefs and your experiences, but you see we do not believe in Red. We have heard all these superstitious rumors and fairy tales about Red and all the wonderful things that it colors. But we only believe that which can be scientifically proven – if we can’t touch it, or smell it, we can’t believe it. No one can describe Red to us – it doesn’t make sense. We have spoken to many blind scientists who have told us that there are no such things as colors – they tell us that they are just reflections of the Sun, which we experience through its heat – there is no Red and until someone can explain what Red is we will not accept it. Thank you sir, but we must be going before the crowds gather and we stumble in our blindness. Good day!”

The stranger left the two men and watched in compassion as they clung to each other in their perpetual darkness. He was reminded of something that he’d heard had been said by the original founder of the newly-sighted community:

“…….the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light”