"Blinded by the Light" is a song written and originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen, although it is mostly known by its 1977 #1 hit version recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band. Mann's remake was released in the United Kingdom in August 1976, where it reached No. 6 in the charts. A song that speaks of blindness similar to Paul on the Damascus road.
[Chorus:]
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Madman drummer bummers
Indians in the summer
With a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps
His way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder
Feeling kinda older
I tripped a merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing
Sneezing and wheezing
The calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground
[Chorus:]
But she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Some silicone sister
With her manager mister
Told me I got what it takes
She said, I'll turn you on sonny to something strong
Play the song with the funky break
And go-kart Mozart
Was checking out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early Pearly
Came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
[Chorus:]
‘Cause she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
She got down but she never got tight
She's gonna make it to the night
She's gonna make it through the night
But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
[Solo]
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Some brimstone baritone
Anticyclone rolling stone
Preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone.
Hit it in its funny bone.
That's where they expect it least."
And some new mown chaperone
Was standing in the corner
Watching the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone
Was messing with his frozen zone
Reminding him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(And now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band.)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(Some silicone sister with her manager mister told me I got what it takes
She said I'll turn you on sonny to something strong)
She got down but she never got tired,
She's gonna make it through the night.
Blinded by the light
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night
Blinded by the light
Madman drummer bummers
Indians in the summer
With a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps
As the adolescent pumps
His way into his hat
With a boulder on my shoulder
Feeling kinda older
I tripped a merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing
Sneezing and wheezing
The calliope crashed to the ground
The calliope crashed to the ground
[Chorus:]
But she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Some silicone sister
With her manager mister
Told me I got what it takes
She said, I'll turn you on sonny to something strong
Play the song with the funky break
And go-kart Mozart
Was checking out the weather chart
To see if it was safe outside
And little Early Pearly
Came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride
Asked me if I needed a ride
[Chorus:]
‘Cause she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce,
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
She got down but she never got tight
She's gonna make it to the night
She's gonna make it through the night
But mama, that's where the fun is
But mama, that's where the fun is
[Solo]
Mama always told me not to look into the eyes of the sun
But mama, that's where the fun is
Some brimstone baritone
Anticyclone rolling stone
Preacher from the east
Says, "Dethrone the dictaphone.
Hit it in its funny bone.
That's where they expect it least."
And some new mown chaperone
Was standing in the corner
Watching the young girls dance
And some fresh-sown moonstone
Was messing with his frozen zone
Reminding him of romance
The calliope crashed to the ground
But she was blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat
In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round
With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(And now Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand
And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band.)
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
Blinded by the light.
Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night.
(Some silicone sister with her manager mister told me I got what it takes
She said I'll turn you on sonny to something strong)
She got down but she never got tired,
She's gonna make it through the night.
Paul had a powerful testimony, but not everyone knew what to make of his sudden turn around. Could he be trusted? Would it last? Was he safe? Perhaps it was for everybody's sake he was sent home to sort himself out.
Verses 31-32 are one of a series of summary interludes Luke uses between sections of his story, but one wonders how much the "time of peace" in 31 is the calm after the disturbance of someone who saw the truth about Jesus uncomfortably clearly.
New converts often have the strengths of their weaknesses. Uninhibited boldness. A fresh experience. A new story. It is a pity if growth in sensitivity and tact and a growing awareness of the complexities in life and faith dull clear testimony.
It does not have to be. Saul was not an instantly mature Christian, never mind a leader. He knew a lot, but had to discover what it meant to be a disciple.
Over a long period he learnt how to be more relevant and less abrasive, when to speak and when to keep quiet and what to say; but if he grew in wisdom he did not fail in courage and neither need we. A reckless witness is careless of the risks to others, and also uncaring about effectiveness.
A living gracious witness can speaking for Christ and be both bold and sensitive and which knows what can be done and what risks to run.
Again we need grace to grow as Saul did, and wisdom to handle the Saul's God is sending to stir up our sleepy fellowships. Thank God for people like Barnabas. Pray for those who may be brash young disciples today, but who will be our church and mission leaders tomorrow. We need to be open to what God wants and will to do.
We are often surprised how God chooses to work. Just like those in Acts 9:21. God is in the business of calling the people we least expect. No one more fits the bill than Saul. God had to get his attention. Jesus the light of the world turned up in a big way and Saul was "Blinded by the Light"
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