Were the disciples asking a valid question? It was commonly believed that sickness was a result of sin. However, Jesus warned us that not every kind of sickness or weakness is caused by sin.
Jesus also pointed out that there are sicknesses and diseases that can glorify God through healing or in other ways. Many believers today who suffer from disability or chronic illness tell us that had it not been for their sicknesses they would not have known the Lord. Now they are glorifying the Lord and are able to talk to others about him.
Jesus is the light of the world, and his light penetrates through the darkness. It was his light that shone on the man born blind.
God created Adam out of the mud. In the same manner, the Lord Jesus made some mud and created new eyes for the man born blind and he was able to see. What great eyesight he must have had! Can we, like this blind man, say, "I once was blind but now I see"? Have our eyes been opened to Jesus' love and redemption?
Perhaps we should ask ourselves, "After we have known our Lord Jesus and had our eyes opened, would people who knew us while we were still blind respect us now?" In this sinful world, people often do not want to know the truth, and they may prefer that we stay in the darkness with them. After all, the ruler of this world hates the light. "The god who rules this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers." (2 Corinthians 4:4)
Did the religious people living at the time of Jesus accept the man whose eyes had been opened? No, they did not! On the contrary, they despised him and cast him out of the synagogue. This was a harsh punishment. He was rejected by society, and people were forbidden to have dealings with him. But the Lord did not abandon him. Even if parents do sometimes abandon their children, the Lord will never leave us. David writes, "I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord or their children begging for food." (Psalm 37:25)
- 7 MARCH -