Why Did Jesus Have to Heal the Blind Man Twice?
Read or summarize Mark 8:22-25.
What happened the first time Jesus touched this man to heal him? (He was partially healed. He could see people, but they looked like trees walking around; he couldn't see clearly.)
What happened the second time Jesus touched him to heal him? (Then he could see perfectly.)
Usually, Jesus touches someone one time, and they're healed. Why do you think He had to touch this man twice for him to be totally healed?
Let's look at what happens before this story. At the beginning of chapter 8, Jesus feeds more than 4,000 people. Didn't Jesus already feed more than 5,000 people? Why did He feed 5,000 then 4,000?
Do you always learn something the first time you hear it? Do your parents or your teachers ever say, "How many times do I have to tell you...?"
We don't always totally learn something the first time we hear it. We need to hear it a few times before we really understand the lesson.
Jesus knows that. So, He feeds 5,000 then 4,000 to make sure we understand the lesson - that He can provide for us.
He touches the blind man's eyes twice to show us that sometimes we need Jesus to help us learn a lesson more than once, and He will keep helping us learn until we understand.
So, the next time you feel like you don't really understand a lesson about God, imagine Jesus touching your eyes once, then touching them again until you do understand the lesson.