I saw him standing in front of Starbucks, shuffling along with his service dog. He was shaking a large plastic McDonald’s cup, saying, “Good morning.” Let me tell you about the blind man who didn’t want a miracle.
My husband Vance and I had seen Louis before when we’d been to Miami for vacation. He stood outside a drugstore greeting everyone who passed by. He never asked for money, but just quietly shook his cup. I was struck by the innocence and sweetness of Louis’s voice. He looked to be about 60 years old. He had a medium size dog with him that was very friendly.
Louis had a guide stick and dark sunglasses. Yes, some in Miami pretend to be blind to get sympathy and money. But Louis seemed genuinely blind and disabled. We talked to him for a bit, and he shared with me his love of Jesus, and when we left he cheerfully called out, “God bless you!”
This year we found him again near the same pharmacy, and we chatted with him for a bit. The next day was Sunday, and we also spotted Louis outside Starbucks, and I went over to say hello. I asked him where he was heading, and he said to church.
We chatted back and forth for ten minutes about our mutual love for Jesus.
I asked him if he had any sight at all? Louis said he could see shadows, but everything was very blurry. He commented that he could see a bit out of his left peripheral vision. That was where I was standing.
“So, you can see me then?” I asked him.
“Yes, you look to be about twenty.”
We both laughed since I’m forty-nine.
Then he said something profound to me.
“People who meet me on the streets ask me if they can pray for me. I tell them yes they can, but please don’t ask God to heal my vision.”
“Why not?” I asked him.
“Years ago, I prayed and asked God to send me; send me to tell people about Jesus.”
I listened more closely.
“Ever since I went blind, I have had so many opportunities on the streets of Miami to tell people about Jesus. People trust me, being blind, and also having a seeing-eye dog.”
By this point, I’m flabberghasted!
“If I had my sight, I wouldn’t have the same opportunities.”
I agreed with Louis and told him about my opportunity to share God’s love with people due to my son Kyle having autism.
*Read about Kyle: I think Your Son Has Autism
He asked me more about Kyle then spent another few minutes encouraging me and telling me how my son’s life would glorify God.
“You tell Kyle he has a friend named Louis in Miami who is going to pray for him.”
We said our goodbyes.
Louis shuffled towards the church…”Good morning!”
The blind man who didn’t want a miracle.
I shuffled back to my outside, Starbucks table with a lump in my throat.
Blessed by a man who didn’t want his sight back, but wanted to spread his love for Jesus by being joyfully blind.
Do you have something in your life right now that seems to drag you down and make you feel like you have nothing to offer others or God?
That’s a BIG OL’ LIE from the devil.
Ask God today how you can glorify him through your life.
Say a prayer, “Send me God!”
Then watch how he will use you to spread his love and joy to others💗
*Thank you, Louis, for reminding me to glorify God during life’s ‘mountain and valley’ moments.