John 9:24-25
Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.  He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Often, the first truths we learn are from our personal experiences.  This man who had been blind received his sight, but he did not become a theological genius or a master of the law simply because he had been touched by Jesus.  He didn’t know all the answers to what the Pharisees were asking.  He simply knew the change that had been wrought in himself and that it was of God.  He understood that he wasn’t the same anymore.  And others who had not had that experience simply could not understand.

When our lives have been changed by the unmistakable grace of God, there is often an internal and an external change that occurs.  Those around us may see a change in us.  They may recognize that we are not quite the same as we used to be, that something has happened to transform us.  But internally, we are also changed in perhaps more subtle ways.  This man’s new vision meant not only that he saw the world around him differently, but he saw himself differently.  His whole identity changed.  What was possible for his life changed.

Because of his experiences, this man also saw God differently than the people around him.  The Pharisees asked over and over what had happened, how he could now see, who had done this for him.  And over and over, he responded with an assurance that God had done something amazing and unheard of.  God had made it possible.  God deserved glory and praise for showing him such mercy and working in such a powerful way.  And not long after this first great miracle came a second one when he believed on Jesus and received salvation.

We all have unique experiences in our lives that change us in profound ways.  Those moments we have where God works on our behalf change how others see us, how we see ourselves, and how we see God.  The personal experiences of the Lord’s special touch are cemented in our minds and enable us to grow more and learn more and gain new understanding.  Through Christ, we, too, can be changed in significant ways.  We gain a new identity in Him.  We start to see from a different perspective.  And simply telling those stories of what we have experienced can often change the hearts, minds, and perspectives of others.