Bloch Talk

In Carl Heinrich Bloch's painting, Christ Healing the Sick at Bethesda, at this stage in my life, I feel like I have the tendency to resemble the woman with the child sometimes, while other times I am the man that Christ is healing. The woman depicted in the painting seems to be carrying on with her life, getting water for her family, not even recognizing the presence of the Savior, let alone the miracle He is performing just feet away from her. Why should she care? She is too content with her life at the moment to realize Christ's infinite powers, because she doesn't need Him desperately at the moment. She seems to be doing nothing wrong. However, she really is in the wrong because she is not progressing, she is not helping others. Sometimes I feel like this woman, I forget to utilize the healing power of the atonement and I fail to recognize Christ's hand in my life. I sometimes feel like I am not progressing, not growing spiritually and not living my life to its' full potential. There is always more I can do- I can serve others and by doing so draw closer to God. When everything is going my way, I tend to forget what is happening around me and not utilize Christ's atonement and endless powers.

However, when something hard comes my way, I am humbled and I become as the man Jesus is healing. For instance, I do not really like change, so coming to college and living on my own, has not been a piece of cake. Right now, I feel like the man, dependent upon my Savior and Redeemer to lift me up and give me the strength to do the things I need to do. The man in the painting is impaired, he is not perfect, he can't be healed alone, he needed the help of the Savior. He had faith that the Savior would come and help him. By the look on his face, I can tell that he is extremely humble and patient and filled with joy at the coming of the Savior. Like this man, I know that I can't doing everything alone and I call upon my Savior to come to my rescue. Although, He does not always come quickly, I have the faith that He will answer my prayers and help me, as He has many times. 

This painting teaches me so much about becoming a disciple-scholar. It teaches me that I can't do it alone, that I must be humble and teachable and allow my Savior to help me through everything. I must not have pride, the man being healed has no pride- he is not embarrassed that he can't do it alone and he is not bitter either, instead he has relied fully on the Savior to help him and heal him of his infirmity. Furthermore, this painting reminds me that I must never forget those around me. There is always something to learn from others and there is always someone I can help. In addition, I must never fail to recognize Christ's presence in my life and should always give Him the glory for my accomplishments and successes.