Day 17: Seeing Differently

John 9:1-5

 As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Comments

When the disciples looked at this man who had been blind from birth, they saw someone who was clearly to be pitied. After all, it seemed patently unfair to them that he should be punished by God in this way either for sins he had committed in the womb or for the sin his parents must have committed before he was born.

Jesus told the disciples they were looking at this all wrong. The man’s blindness was not a punishment for sin, but an opportunity for the love of God to be put into practice.

Reflections

When you see someone suffering, do you have trouble getting past asking why something like this happens?

Some will say to those who are suffering, “It’s okay. This is all part of God’s plan.” Is that true? Is it helpful?

How would your approach to those who are suffering change if you began to focus less on pity and more on embodying God’s love for them?

Prayer

Forgive me, Lord, for always wanting to know why things happen. Help me instead to focus on what you would have me do in response to the suffering I see in others or experience in myself.