As he 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. – John 9: 1-3
Today’s Reading: 1 Chronicles 25-27: John 9:1-23
Dear Jesus,
First of all I want to say thank you for giving me my vison. The mud thing was pretty dramatic… but yeah man… thanks a lot.
Now… I don’t mean to sound ungrateful… but you said that I was blind so that the work of God might be displayed in my life. That doesn’t make sense to me. Ok yes what you did was super impressive but man, I went through my whole childhood blind as a bat! I’ve had to beg for money my entire adult life because I had no means or wherewithal to provide a living for myself.
The “why” that you gave your disciples I’m sure works for them. But to keep it real with you, it doesn’t work for me. This is MY life that you are talking about here! Where were you all these years when I was starving, ridiculed, ashamed, vulnerable, and taken advantage of? Where were you huh?
Sigh…
Ok… I just had to get that off my chest. But you gotta understand me here. It just doesn’t make any sense. Why would I have to suffer all of the hardship that I suffered so that your followers could learn a lesson? It just doesn’t seem fair.
Please help me understand.
Sincerely,
Your thankful servant.
My son,
I am sorry that you feel the way that you do and I will do my best to help you understand; but first I must ask you a few questions.
What is fair? How do you judge what is and what is not fair? Are your struggles yours alone? How did you make it all of these years? Were you loved?
I am love and I work through love. I never left you and I will always be with you. How did you feel when you received the caring touch from your mother or could hear the warm smile in the heart of your father when he spoke of you? Who was it that provided alms for you when you were hungry? Who looked out for you when you could not look out for yourself? Who guided your steps when you could not see the stumbling blocks in your path? Who reached down to help you when you fell?
It was I this whole time for I am love. When people act in love they are connected with the divine. It is hard for many people to learn to love because they only see what they want to see. So I sent them one who could not see to show them what they have been unable to see.
Through your blindness you taught the world to love; not only those who raised you, who knew you, and who saw you, but also all of those who will come after you for millennia. The fact that you grew up and lived to the age that you were when I encountered you is a testimony of the love that humanity is capable of.
It is only through love that a blind child can grow to be a man.
So I am sorry son for the sacrifice that you feel you have made but know that you are one of the great teachers of the ages. The greatest teachers are those who teach others how to love.
And you my friend succeeded at that; greatly.
Sincerely,
J.
