John 9:1 – Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. (2) And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (3) Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.

“Jesus, what happened here?  Obviously someone did something wrong for his life to end up so badly.”

Jesus and his disciples had just passed a man blind from birth.  He must have been a familiar character since his story was well known enough for the disciples to comment on it.  The disciples were curious as to why this man had been born this way.  Having Jesus around was great when they had questions.  He never told them their questions were stupid.  Also, He was Lord of all.  If you want to get a question answered, go to the source, right?

Almost flippantly they asked the question.  ‘Jesus, let us in on a divine secret here.’

Jesus rejected the fundamental assumptions of their question.  This man’s physical disability, his limitation, his imperfection, was not a result of some person’s sin and God’s reactionary displeasure.  God was not exacting revenge for something that occurred, a supernatural, ‘You thought you could get away with this?  I’ll show you.’

Instead, Jesus flipped the scenario on them, and opened a doorway of understanding in their mind so that they could see.  This man was like this, because God had a specific purpose for his life.  He was like this because there was a role for him to play that could not be played any other way.  This man had God on his side, not as an adversary.  The blind man was not to be castigated or pitied, but to be appreciated and supported.

To prove this, Jesus sets in motion a living parable throughout the rest of the chapter.  The chapter is composed of three acts, in a sense: Jesus healing the man, the man before the council, and Jesus meeting the man.  At the end of story it becomes clear that those who have always seen are blind, and one who could not see had the best vision of all.  One who had no education because of the limitations of his disability skillfully revealed the deception and fallacies of the most educated men in the nation.

Do you feel that you have a limitation that shows up again and again in your life?  Do you feel that God is opposing you for something that you have no control over?  Do not give in to the false belief that even the disciples had.  God has a purpose for your life.  He has things for you to accomplish that only you can do.  God is looking for you to testify as a witness for him, as one who sees what others cannot.  God is on your side.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.