Open Eyes

Dear Classical Community,

I’d like to share an account from Scripture that beautifully challenges the Christ-follower to walk with open-eyed humility – open-eyed humility that results in clear-sighted courage. And in our Christ-centered, classical, collaborative community, we can labor together to cultivate a posture of gratitude for this remarkable education, while intentionally working to not allow such good knowledge to puff us up. (While not necessary, I’d encourage you to read John 9 in its entirety before proceeding.)

Imagine this. A person born blind, like the man we meet in John 9. While he has made peace with his situation, it is obviously challenging. But it is made profoundly worse by the fact that too many people around him speak this lie over him: “You were born blind because someone sinned; probably, it was your parents.”

But then, he meets Jesus. He says with a measure of authority never heard from a rabbi or the teachers of the law: no one sinned; you were born blind “that the works of God might be displayed in you.” This truth represents a paradigm shift in his life. And then, because He is so kind, it gets so much better: he heals the blind man. For the first time in his life, he can see – and it is beautiful and clear. 

But then the liars circle back: “Give glory to God. We know that this man (referring to Jesus] is a sinner.” He answers, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” Later he says, “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

The humility the seeing man displays here is striking because his humility fuels courage to engage with those speaking lies. Why? Because the seeing man has heard the voice of Jesus (see John 10); he has seen His face; he even had Jesus’ saliva mixed with dirt on his eyes. This is an intimate life-change at its maximum.

In twenty plus years of education, I have never been part of such a special community. This 3C’s education is not only an opportunity to serve our children well, it is an opportunity for us to walk together in a humble and courageous community: so that we may work with open-eyed humility – open-eyed humility that results in clear-sighted courage.

Respectfully in Christ,
Jim P. McCormick, M.Ed.
Blessed to be Head of School