Day 29 | Jesus Heals a Blind Man

Read John 9:1-12

The healing of the blind man is a significant picture of how people in Jesus’ day view sickness. Sickness was often associated with sin, but the blind man in this miracle is revealed to be blind for an entirely different reason.

The disciples look at the blind man and attempt to blame his blindness not only from the man’s sin but maybe even the sin of his parents. Their culture assumed that God had cursed people who were born sick. People blamed the parents for their child’s condition. Today we do the same thing, but differently. If a person’s life is devoid of wealth, health, or success, we think there is something wrong with that person’s walk with God. We call this belief the “prosperity gospel,” and many have believed that their walk with God is based around their success.

The condition of the blind man reflects a truth that we also learn from Job that many are unwilling to accept: sometimes, we can be in the middle of suffering and calamity and be precisely in the center of God’s will. God has never declared that we would be exempt from suffering in our lives, but the Bible does reveal that suffering has meaning. In suffering, we may turn from sin as a persecuted Israel did. We may learn that this world isn’t fair like Joseph did, or we may see Jesus like Paul did when he was blinded on the road to Damascus. Whether it is a blinded Paul or a blind man with mud in his eyes, suffering led these men to the feet of their Savior. The context changes the heart of a person. Rather than settling for something to live with, these men discovered something greater they could live for. God offers the same invitation to everyone in their suffering, and we can choose what suffering accomplishes in our life.

Pray for 10 minutes