How many times as a parent have you said, “Don’t spit!” and “don’t play in the mud!”? I’m smiling because I’ve said that SO many times!

So how does Jesus get away with it?  I suppose because He’s God for one thing!  But let’s put that aside for a few minutes . . . what would you do if the preacher, or anyone for that matter, came up to you, spat in his hand, pick up a little dirt, made a mud pie and put it on your eyes?  But then, if you were blind, I guess you wouldn’t know, right?  Except all those around you would be gagging. (John 9:1-7).

Where was the health department?

Here’s another one . . . some people bring a man to Jesus who was deaf and could hardly talk and these friends beg Jesus to place His hand on the man.  That’s safe!  But what does Jesus do?  He takes him away from the crowd, puts His fingers in the man’s ears.  Then He spits and touches the man’s tongue!  Huh?  “Father, I want my healing but do I want it that much to have the preacher man do THAT to me?” (Mark 7:31-35).

OK – one more . . . Jesus is coming into Bethsaida and some people bring a blind man to Him again begging Jesus to touch him.  Interestingly Jesus took him by the hand and led him outside the village.  Once again, Jesus spits on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him.  (Mark 8:22-26).

We’ve seen some bizarre things in the church world through the years but this takes the cake.  I’ve never seen this but I can’t say I’m sorry.

However, in each case healing came but why was the spitting necessary and is it to be done today!  Oh my, I hope not – unless Jesus comes down in the flesh to do it!

Maybe Jesus wanted variety.  Maybe He wanted to show that He was not locked into any “regular” way of doing things.  Heaven help us . . . we don’t need preachers going around today spitting on us!

Do we want our miracles in neat boxes, clean, uncluttered and sophisticated?  Or are we willing to say, “Father, I’m in need.  I must have You in any way, any form – You order it!”

We can know that Jesus KNEW what to do in each case.  At times He simply spoke and miracles were done.  He touched lepers (another thing that simply wasn’t done) and healed them.

I just hope that I don’t see any advertisement for “bottles of Jesus’ spit” or “mud pies made by Jesus”!