Oftentimes, I like to start my writings with a quote I recently came across, and this time is no different. But first, let me ask you something: Have you ever heard someone say, “Don’t forget where you came from,” or “Don’t forget the little people when you make it big”?
I’ve heard those words from family, friends, and mentors growing up, but it wasn’t until I came across this quote that their meaning really sank in.
“The day the blind man sees is the day he throws away the cane that has helped him his whole life.”
That quote really makes you stop and think. It says a lot about people: how we change, how we forget, and how growing in faith means learning to love with wisdom, not just emotion.
Maybe we weren’t physically blind, but we’ve all gone through seasons of spiritual blindness. Blind to truth, blind to love, blind to our God-given purpose. And in those moments, we leaned on something or someone to keep us going: a friend, a belief, a habit, maybe even a crutch. That cane helped us walk when we couldn’t stand on our own.
But what happens when our eyes finally open? When things start to make sense: our path, our purpose, even the people around us?
What happens to the cane?
In John 9, Jesus heals a man blind from birth. When questioned, the man says, “One thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.” – John 9:25
Spiritual sight doesn’t just change what we see, it changes how we see. We start to realize who was really with us, and who was only around when we needed help. That’s not bitterness, it’s discernment.
I think back on my life before I fully surrendered to Jesus. When I made poor choices, when I couldn’t find a way out, somehow I always made it through. I called it luck. I thought I was just in the right place at the right time. But looking back, I see it clearly now: it was God. His mercy. His grace. His hand.
Maybe you’ve had a similar moment. A time you thought you were making it on your own, only to realize later, it was God carrying you the whole time.
And yet, how often do we forget God’s hand in our lives?
We get healed, we get blessed, and we move on. Like the blind man putting away the can, we lay aside the very One who carried us through. We stop praying like we used to. Stop depending. Stop thanking. Sometimes, we even take the credit.
Jesus experienced this too. Ten lepers were healed. Only one returned to say thank you. “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” – Luke 17:17
God’s grace not only saves us but transforms us so we can serve others. But in a world that often values usefulness over relationship, this quote gives us a warning: Not everyone you help will thank you. And not everyone you walk with will walk with you forever.
And we do the same to God.
In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites basically told God, “Thanks, but we want a king we can actually see.” Even after all He had done; rescuing them, taking care of them, showing up over and over, they still wanted something they felt they could control. They forgot it was God who had been carrying them the whole time.
We do too. When life gets hard, we run to God. But when life gets good, we sometimes walk away. We trust the job, the paycheck, the relationship, the status and forget the Source of it all.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” – John 3:30. John the Baptist understood it was never about him. Every message he preached, every person he reached, he pointed it all back to God. He never forgot the One who gave him vision in the first place. And we shouldn’t either.
Take a moment to look back.
Think about the times you didn’t know how you were going to make it; the dark seasons, the silent prayers, the moments you almost gave up. It wasn’t your own strength that carried you. It was God. His grace. His mercy. His quiet, steady presence when everything else felt unsure.
Now that your eyes are beginning to open. Now that you’re walking a little stronger and seeing a little clearer, don’t forget Him. Don’t treat Him like a cane you only needed when you were weak. The truth is, we never stop needing God.
So stay near to Him. Rest in His Word. Talk to Him like you did when you were desperate. Trust Him like your life depends on it, because it still does.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you with wisdom and love. Let Him shape your steps, soften your heart, and keep you humble. Let your life be a reflection of the grace that carried you through.
You are God’s creation. He's still working in you. Keep walking with Him. He’s not finished with you yet.
Pray With Me.
Lord,
Thank You for carrying me when I couldn’t walk on my own. Thank You for the grace I didn’t see at the time. Help me to always remember what You’ve done for me. Help me honor the people You used to lift me up. Show me when to help others, and give me wisdom to know when to let go. More than anything, let my life bring You glory. Don’t let me ever set You aside, Lord. Grow bigger in me.
