The Blind Leading the Blind

Matthew 15:14 says, “Don’t worry about them! They are blind leaders of the blind; and when one blind man leads another, both fall into the ditch.”

This sentence is an idiom and a metaphor used by Jesus Christ in the Bible, which depicts the fact that an inept or unqualified or incompetent person instructs or teaches an equally incapable person. By doing so, both commit a mistake or a blunder.

In this very competitive world, everyone wants to be the first to “know” what is happening around them. Many have this “know-it-all” attitude. This kind of people believes that they are superior if they are knowledgeable or appear to be learned. Unfortunately, no one can be an expert on everything. That is why we study, explore, and specialize in one or two things. There may be some who are extraordinarily smart or genius that they excel in many fields, but for sure, there may still be somethings that they do not know.

“Stop asking directions from someone who is lost themselves.”

Blind Mommy

I am not knowledgeable about everything. But, my children think I have the answers to everything in the world.  Sometimes, my daughters come to me for their math homework, and although I have learned them in school, I do not, for the life of me, remember how to solve those math problems (I do not even know how I passed my Accounting class in College). I will not pretend to know how to do their math problems. If I did, and my daughter trusted me, then she fails or at least gets a bad grade.

The BLIND MOTHER, me, leading another BLIND, my daughter. We both fall in a “ditch.” She fails, and I get humiliated!

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

~Helen Keller~

The Blind Boss

I was once a supervisor in a company. I led a group of seventeen employees.  Many of them were new graduates, young, and eager to learn.  I, too, was new in my position.  I had to learn many things at a fast pace as our Department was growing at a rapid rate.  Everyone looked to me for guidance and leadership.  But, I got so overwhelmed with my duties as a leader that I did not know what to do.  My job gave me a lot of stress and anxiety, which impacted my employees.  As a result, our employees’ morale went down, our productivity was deficient, and our teamwork was challenged.  Again, BLIND ME, the Boss, leading the BLIND employees!  The RESULT:  We all fell in the ditch! The Department went to chaos!

“The eyes are useless when the mind is blind.”

Blind Christian Couple

There is this Christian couple who is very pious; who goes to their Church every Sunday.  Their whole Sunday is pretty much spent in their Church.  They sing, worship, study, and teach the Bible.  Outside of the Church, they continue to spread the good news, trying to bring people into their Church. They preach, and they preach without reservations.  That is good, isn’t it?  That is what real Christians do!

But, the woman who preaches about “taming the tongue” is the very first one who judges a person who is gay.  And, the man, who speaks about the ten commandments is the one who commits adultery. 

Yet, this couple teaches about everything in the Bible! And, how God will punish you for not obeying his words.

BLIND CHRISTIAN couple!  If they teach another BLIND Christian, they all fall in the ditch! They go to HELL! That is what we Christians believe. In retrospect, never mind being blind!  This is hypocrisy at its finest!

John 9:39
And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

The Blind Leader

That blind leader in the West! A man who says he knows everything but utters, “let’s see!” According to him, he is an expert in the economy, the military, the trade market.  He leads both the blind and the not so blind.  The country he leads is falling in a ditch with him, so fast that the land of the great is no longer great at all! 

John 9:25
He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

A (physically) Blind Man

A few months ago, I attended a convention in Utah.  One of the highlights of the convention was a talk by a blind man.  His name is Erik Weihenmayer.  Erik lost his sight when he was 14 years old after being diagnosed with juvenile retinoschisis.  But, instead of being depressed and languishing in life, he fought back.  He took hold of his life knowing that he is still in control, even without his sight. He persevered by using his many other keen senses.  He got into wrestling and became very good at it.  Eventually, he found himself climbing mountains; and not just any mountain, but the highest of the highest summits in the world.

Yes, Erik was physically blind.  But, he taught many that his blindness was not an impediment, rather an advantage and a motivation. He encouraged everyone to pursue their dreams and passions despite and in spite of any barriers.

He said there are three kinds of people: the quitters, the campers, and the climbers.  The quitters quit as soon as they see and feel any difficulties.  The campers are those willing to climb the mountain, but once they reach a platform, they camp and remain there for a short time and then go back down.  And, then, there are the climbers.  They keep on going, no matter how hard and seem futile, until they reach the peak. These are the ones who succeed.

“We are only as blind as we want to be.”

~Maya Angelou~

And, here I was, about to give up after a few failures and uncertainty.  Here I was with all my senses intact, but struggle to fight and continue.

The blind leading the blind.  Indeed, Erik was physically blind.  But, he sees brighter and better than any of us who are sighted.

And, sometimes it takes a blind man with strength and fortitude to lead another blind man who surrendered to his inability to see the beauty in the world, and his perceived uselessness to carry on with his life with pride and dignity.

In this case, the blind leading the blind will rise above.  If they ever fall, they get back up together because falling in a ditch is not an option.