Once in the car, she would turn around just before we were to get out of the car. I knew the old spit and polish was coming. I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. She would pull out a Kleenex, spit into it and wipe my face clean of any debris left from breakfast or snacks. Ew. As I got older and through a fit about this spit and polish procedure, she would say, “Okay, stick out your tongue (which I fell for) and she would swipe the napkin over MY tongue then wipe my face. Okay, that was better. What?! No, it wasn’t. (Smiling…I did it to my kids, too.)

Apparently it is a Biblical thing to do…

Mark 7, The Message

31-35 Then he left the region of Tyre, went through Sidon back to Galilee Lake and over to the district of the Ten Towns. Some people brought a man who could neither hear nor speak and asked Jesus to lay a healing hand on him. He took the man off by himself, put his fingers in the man’s ears and some spit on the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, “Ephphatha!—Open up!” And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.

36-37 Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”

Jesus took the man away from the crowd to deliver healing in a way completely unique for this man. This was done, no doubt, to fix the attention of the afflicted man upon himself, and upon the fact that he was about to act upon his ears and his tongue. We also need to remember that when we read God’s Word, we need to understand that it is about God and His Power, not so much about us. Read from that point perspective and you will be blessed!

Interesting thought from Pulpit Commentary:
“And he put (ἔβαλε) – literally, cast or thrust – his fingers into his ears. The action was very significant. It was as though he said, “I am about to open a passage for hearing through these ears.” And he spat, and touched his tongue; that is, he touched his tongue with saliva from his own sacred lips. These symbolical actions must have had a great meaning for the afflicted man. They were an acted metaphor, teaching him what he might expect from the mercy of Christ. We may be assured that that these signs used by our Lord were intended to awaken the afflicted man’s faith, and to stir up in him the lively expectation of a blessing.”

What encouragement! Expect a blessing today. Allow Christ to OPEN our eyes to see and our ears to see and understand His great power that is happening all around us.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you. I stand in awe of You. Just thank you. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.