Dawn R. Deem Stephens

Seven Blind Mice, by Ed Young

 This is a great story with a great lesson for children, adults, and everyone in between. In the story seven little mice each examine a different part of the elephant and decide they know what the object is. However, it isn’t until the seventh mouse runs across, around, up, and down – over the entire elephant and reveals its true identity. The story ends with the moral: “Knowing in part may make a fine tale, but wisdom comes from seeing the whole.”

Many times in the Bible we see examples of Jesus curing the blind. The Bible also teaches about a spiritual blindness. In John chapter 9, Jesus illustrates our need to be cured of our own spiritual blindness. 

I love Seven Bind Mice for many reasons. The color references, the days of the week, and the ordinal numbers all lead to great teaching lessons with children. -And it’s easy to reference the moral that our children don’t alwasy see the “big picture” and make incorrect judgements. – But I think there is an even greater opportunity in discussing that the mice were blind. Their blindness kept them from seeing the whole picture.

Let’s just say for comparison sake, that the mouse is me, and the elephant is God. God is so much bigger than I am. I may see a part of Him or know Him in some small way, but I can remain blinded to other parts and therefore make wrong judgements of who He is and what he is all about.   Jesus explained to the healed blind man and the Pharisees in verse 36-41, that He came so the blind would see and those who see would be blind. The Pharisees think it is jibberious talk and miss the point altogether. The blindness Jesus speaks of is a spiritual one, where - if we reject the truth we become satisfied to exist in the darkness of the lies we then believe.

Each mouse was happy to believe that the elephant was something else.  At least, until another mouse, who had a different idea and perspective, challenged his, the very state of his blindness was revealed.

As Christians we get very comfortable with our view of God. But God is never comfortable with our lack of knowing Him. He wil bring other Christians  and non-christians into our path to challenge us and reveal to us our blindness.

Now, that said – the danger here is that we listen to every person’s perspective and draw an incorrect conclusion of who God is.  We have to take those perspectives back to the Bible and check that what they “see” is truth.

So – how do we cure our own spiritual blindness?  We recognize and see the “light” – We may not ever be able to see God fully in all His Holiness until we reach heaven – but we can begin the journey of knowing Him through His son who is known as a “healer of the blind.”  Then, once we’ve met Him and begun the journey, – allow yourself to continuing “seeing” the bigger picture of a bigger God.

For other bible lessons using Children’s Literature:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Very Hungry Christian = New Life

Learning the Bible from Pinocchio -by Debbie Boush

Harry the Dirty Dog: Lost Dog, Lost Son
Where The Wild Things Are

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, and a Chance to Pray

Children Who Love Jesus may be at risk of catching: A Bad Case of Stripes

Is Your Mama a Llama? Are you the image of God?

The Paper Bag Princess and The Paper Bag Christian

1. Dawn Stephens Books » Blog Archive » Lessons with Peter Rabbit Says:
   October 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm

   [...] Seven Blind Mice and the Cure to Our Blindness [...]

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