The Miracle Worker

Luke 15:10 - Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Being laid up a bit after foot surgery I "taped" a bunch of good Christmas movies. I also watched The Miracle Worker one evening....the old movie about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, her teacher. Most everyone knows Helen Keller went blind as a small child. If there is any sense I would not want to lose it's my eyesight. Think of the difficulty learning to adjust and the inability to do as before.

Annie Sullivan, who had been blind herself for a time, became Helen's teacher. The struggle was excruciating. Annie was trying to teach someone who could not see or hear much less understand why she was being forced to do things she'd never done...because her parents enabled her...unlearning what seemed to be her whole life. Often I felt the struggle. How exhausted Annie must have felt at day's end after grasping and chasing little Helen...or restraining her. 

I continued to think about this story and thought about how we are before we know Christ. We struggle too. We fight and claw against the knowledge. We are comfortable in our world as it always has been, or has evolved into. We are comfortable with what we'd been taught as children in our own churches, our own families and allowing those teachings to remain constant, not allowing new ones to even be questioned. Helen was comfortable in her way of life. So we become. The only change we look for is something that makes life easier or happier or more secure in a worldly sense. Chances are those things we seek won't bring happier, more secure or easier lives. Seeking in our own strength isn't the answer.

Annie took weeks just to work toward one little hint of understanding, a glimmer of light in Helen's confused and rebellious little head. Helen mimicked, but that was it. It had been said that before Helen went deaf and blind due to illness she was able to say "wa-wa" for water. She was an incredibly small child at that time but she knew. Now her understanding was lost.

One day, according to the film, Annie took Helen out to the family's water pump after Helen had another bout of rebellion at the dinner table. Of course, I realize this might not have been exactly what transpired... Annie was pumping water for Helen to teach her how to spell water. Somewhere in the recesses of Helen's mind came the remembrance of the word "wa-wa." It was clear by her facial expression that the light went on and she began to speak that one little word, the best she could. Helen realized what Annie had been trying to do and she was then in an endless state of desire to know. She had come to the end of herself, a place where we often must go. She didn't want to stop, not even allowing herself to be lovingly cradled by her mother. She wanted Annie...the teacher...she wanted to know more...she wanted life. And the antagonist became a friend...at last. Near the end of the movie Helen seeks out her teacher and falls into her arms. Annie was finally able to teach Helen that she loved her.

That's what happens when we allow ourselves to get to the end of ourselves and allow ourselves to fall into the loving arms of Jesus. The fighting stops and we are open to receive and receive and receive.  We cannot stop. We want more. We want to know all we can get our hands on. We once were blind, but now we see. It becomes life to us. All we want is our Teacher...all we want is Jesus. And He shows us how much He loves us...and so much more.

Forgive me for this picture...of Annie being a bit like Jesus...desiring to teach us but struggling with our rebelliousness. Annie may have been a little more patient in the movie, but what about real life? Jesus, on the other hand, is ever patient. He will not leave because of our rebellion, but will continue to open our spiritual eyes of understanding through Himself, clergy, teachers, friends, television, movies, books, but especially through Him. He is ever reaching out wanting to open our spiritually blind eyes to see the Truth.

Helen and her family, servants and Annie were ecstatic over the light that went on in little Helen's head, like the angels in heaven rejoicing when one sinner turns to the Lord! There's a reason why Jesus is called the Light of the world. When we receive Him and let Him teach us, the Light of who He is goes on and life is never the same. 

John 8:12 -  Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."