“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.” (John 9:1-4)
I continue to contemplate the issues touched in this story. In Jesus' time some thought that every misfortune suffered by a human was the result of some kind of sin. Apparently this was the view of Jesus' disciples, hence their question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
On one hand, I find Jesus' response comforting. He says that the man's blindness was not caused by sin. If I may generalize, then you and I need not endlessly scrutinize every misfortune of mine nor the mishaps of others, looking for the transgressions that supposedly caused our ill health, poverty, or calamity. Some stuff just happens, and it's up to us to take advantage of those opportunities to rely on God and to display God's working in us.
On the other hand, Jesus' response troubles me. Is he saying that God deliberately caused the man to be born blind, so that God would be glorified in the man? Generalizing, is it true that God is the specific cause of every human condition and that God therefore chooses misery for some, so that God's working in them can be put on display? I think not, and I will tell you why.
In my view God is not the specific cause of every human condition, but because of reasons beyond my comprehension, God does allow every circumstance in which humans choose to live or in which humans find themselves living. In point of fact some injuries are caused by misbehavior. Some calamities are the result of sins against humanity or sins against God. They are allowed by God, but not purposed by God.
Jesus is discouraging the fault-finding, blaming, and negative judgment espoused at first by his disciples. He is saying, in effect, "Give the guy a break! He's got a difficult life, as it is. As to his sinfulness or his parents' sinfulness, don't even go there."
At the same time Jesus is encouraging mercy, wholeness, gratitude, and repentance. He's saying that no matter the condition of another human being, God's grace and healing are available. He's saying that when the things of God are humbly received by anyone, then praise, worship, and thanksgiving redound to God.
Where does repentance enter the picture? It is required of us who thought ill of the one receiving gifts from God, those of us who gossiped about him or her, who condemned her or his parentage, kinfolk, ethnicity, appearance, customs, etc.
No comments:
Post a Comment