He also told them this parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ Luke 6:39-40
This parable is rather fitting for a student such as myself embarking on an experience of higher learning. A prerequisite to learning is the recognition of a need for learning, a recognition of ignorance. As this applies to my secular knowledge, so it applies to my spirituality. I will remain unable to give away that which I do not have. It is only through finding God’s will as it applies to my own life that I might help others to do the same with their own lives. As a young man, I am embarking on a journey. This journey represents my transition from a state of blindness to that of the ability to see, both through my secular studies in pursuit of a career and through my spiritual path in pursuit of finding peace with God.
My major area of study here at Bradley is English. I enjoy reading and writing, and find literature to be very helpful in my life. In my experiences with English teachers in the past, I have found a majority of them to be quite helpful and knowledgeable in this field. They were qualified in their positions. Though I thoroughly enjoy literature and composition, and even the discipline of grammar, I have found that I truly am rather ignorant, particularly relative to those teachers about whom I was speaking. By understanding my own lack of knowledge and expertise, I have provoked the desire to learn more. I further pursued this interest which has brought me here, to Bradley University, where I might shed some light on these places of darkness, or replace my ignorance with knowledge. It is only through this growth of knowledge that I will be able to teach others as I have been taught.
As it pertains to my spiritual life, this scripture is quite invaluable in establishing a proper sense of humility. There have been times in my life during which I was decidedly lacking in spirituality, yet I was so arrogant to assume that I might have something to offer to others in the way of leadership and ministry. As I was gradually given an awareness of my lacking spirituality, and still struggled with the notion that I might still have something to offer to others. I now invite a level of humility into my life, in the sense that I recognize my own blindness and refrain from attempting to lead others whom I might consider to be blind. It is quite a loss that I might “fall into a pit” as a result of my own blindness, but to lead another into that same pit is surely evil. I am grateful to have been made aware of my blindness that I might one day again be able to see. It is only through trusting in God and following His way that I will find such enlightenment, and perhaps some day be able to help another to do the same.
By analyzing this scripture, I am able to gain a sense of direction and a level of humility that will surely aid me in following the path. In my blindness, I must trust others’ direction until that time when I am able to see. When I have been so blessed as to be free of this blindness, it will be my honor and my duty to freely give to others that which was so freely given to me. Even with the best of intentions, though, the act of the blind leading the blind will do more harm than good. With that in mind, I will continue my journey towards vision and light, with God’s help.