BLIND EYES—AN OBJECT LESSON TEACHING GRATITUDE FOR
OUR EYES

First show the children something of the value of the gift of sight. Ask them to shut their eyes and feel the objects you put into their hands, trying to tell what they are. Blindfold one of the children, and get him to try to find a certain corner of the room, and bring you an object you have placed there. Darken the room, if you can, and then let in a sudden flood of beautiful sunshine. Ask the children to fold their hands and say together softly: “Lord Jesus, I thank thee for my eyes.”

Then go on to tell the story, as found in John 9:1–11, of the man blind from birth, whose eyes Christ opened by placing clay upon them and having him wash in the Pool of Siloam. You may illustrate this in a vivid and even startling way. Draw a face, with its eyes open. You may find a picture large enough for your purpose. Draw, upon paper like the paper upon which the face is drawn, two eyes of the same size as the eyes in the face, but closed. Fasten these upon the face, each with a single little pin, so that they may easily be removed. As you tell the story of the miracle, place over these closed eyes circles of cardboard painted clay color, and mucilage on the back. Moisten this mucilage as you tell how Jesus moistened the clay. Of course, as you remove the “clay” in speaking of the washing in the Pool of Siloam, it will carry the closed eyes with it, and the change in the face will greatly surprise and interest the children. They will never forget the story of that miracle.