Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
(John 9:17)

Read: Psalm 1-2, 10, 33, 71, 91

Relate: προφήτης. For those of us that can’t read Homer in the original, those squiggles should be pronounced: pro-FEET-is. At least, that is what I am told. I don’t know… it’s all Greek to me. Even though the conversation between the pharisees and the man born blind took place in either Hebrew or Aramaic, what we have to work with is the Greek in which John was first written.

In our minds and in modern usage, a prophet is someone who predicts the future. If I were to say, “The Yankees are going to win the World Series this year.” After this November you might look back at my accurate prediction and say, “Wow. You must be a prophet.” If I were able to predict the score of every game they were going to play between now and then, the whole world would be calling me a prophet and lots of people would be making their fortunes and bankrupting Vegas by betting on me.

The understanding of what a prophet actually is has fallen so low. In truth, the meaning of a Biblical prophet is someone who speaks for God. The man born blind was not saying, “Jesus healed my eyes, He must be able to predict the future.” No, what he was saying was far more dangerous than that: “This man healed me by the authority, under the command, and with the power of God.” The pharisees said Jesus could not be from God. This man told them to their face, “You’re wrong.”

React: I can’t predict how the Yankees will do this year. Granted, if I predict them to win every year, I will be right more than 20% of the time and that is far better than most “professionals” do. I certainly can’t predict every score from every game, but I do have the capability to be a prophet. In fact, I am called to it. If you are a follower of Christ, then so are you.

We are called to be His ambassadors, His representatives. It is not just the responsibility of the preacher behind the pulpit but that of each and every one of us who are called by His name to speak forth His message wherever we go. We are his prophets. Even when others want deny our message, even when the skeptics tend to doubt His truth, even when the authorities try to shut us up, still we must speak.

Respond: 

Dear God,
Give me the courage and integrity to speak what You have commanded me to speak. Give me the boldness to walk in the authority to which you have called me. Give me the discipline to diligently study Your words that I might accurately and honestly convey them to my world. Let me be Your mouthpiece ringing loud and clear to the world who You truly are.
Amen