HOST: Michael Whitworth
SPONSOR: Logos Bible Software
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
It was commonly believed in that day and time that suffering, such as this man’s blindness, was the result and consequence of sin. The disciples were thus perplexed about this man’s condition because he had been blind from birth. How could sin have caused his blindness, unless of course it was his parents’ sin that had been visited upon him. In answering their query, Jesus teaches them, and us, a very important lesson. While it is true that suffering, hardship, and adversity originally entered this world because of sin (Genesis 3), we must understand that our suffering is not always due to our sins. While there are times when one’s sinful choices will bring about negative consequences, there are also many times (e.g. natural disasters, disease, accidents) when our suffering is simply a natural function of our physical world and has no connection whatsoever to our sins. But another important lesson to remember is that, as with this man, our suffering offers opportunities for us to be strengthened and for God to be glorified. Even in our suffering, God is in charge and is worthy of our faith and praise!
How have you grown from your own sufferings?
Don’t forget to pray and have a great day!
