“ ‘Yes, Lord, I believe!’ the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.”
John 9:38 (NLT)
The healed man understood more than the religious experts gave him credit for. Earlier he said that anyone who worships God and does His will is heard by God. The Pharisees didn’t want to hear truth, so they kicked him out of the synagogue. He was excluded, dismissed, and labeled an outcast. But Jesus went looking for him. The same Jesus who had noticed him earlier in John 9 now came to give him something far greater than physical sight—eternal life.
When Jesus asked if he believed in the Son of God, the man didn’t hesitate. He trusted Jesus because Jesus had already cared for him, helped him, and restored him. Then Jesus revealed the truth: the One the man longed for was standing right in front of him. Imagine the rush of peace, clarity, and redemption flooding his heart. Suddenly every moment of persecution was worth it. He had been defending his Savior without even knowing it.
I imagine his worship was overwhelming—raw gratitude, tears, relief, and awe. After a lifetime of darkness, after being cast aside by people, after finally seeing for the first time, the healed man responded the only way his heart knew how: he worshiped. Everything he preached earlier in the chapter became real in that moment.
Jesus told him He came to give sight to the blind—and He did it first through this man. His consistent witness, even under pressure, positioned him to receive something better than healing. Jesus gave him the gift He promised throughout John: whoever believes has eternal life. This man went from the lowest place to the highest place—lifted, loved, and honored as a citizen of heaven. Praise the Lord!