9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. ² “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

John 9:1-2

Dear God, the disciples asked a binary question here that they didn’t realize was completely off-base. They errantly thought negative circumstances were an indication of bad actions. It kind of goes back to Job. In fact, it’s kind of weird that the Book of Job didn’t dispel this errant theology from the beginning. I guess the prosperity gospel goes back a long way and its roots are so deep and attractive that we don’t want to let go. The thing that prosperity gospel brings us is the idol of control. We think our actions will drive outcomes and so we will ignore Job and determine that our own actions will manipulate you into working everything out the way we want it.

So, they started with the wrong assumption. If I see a blind man, there must be sin behind it. In this case, they assumed the sin belonged either to the man (although I don’t understand why they would think that since he was born blind) or, more likely, to the parents. So these two poor parents had probably lived a lifetime not only caring for a blind child when he was young, but also feeling blamed by their community for their son’s situation. And as I’ve said before, maybe they accepted that blame and took it. Maybe they remembered that time they committed that sin and now lived with the guilt of it having produced a blind son. Or maybe they didn’t feel they had sinned so they blamed their spouse. Had their blind son driven a wedge between them? Or between them and you? Did they feel judged by you?

How does this apply to today? To my life? Well, there can be circumstances that we aren’t pleased with. Relationships that are broken. Outcomes we don’t like. Unemployment. Health issues. Financial crises. Children who are struggling. Damaged marriages. When these things happen, do we ask the right questions, or are we as ignorant as the disciples and just assume that the family we see with a struggling child is responsible for that child’s struggle? Do we assume that someone is to blame for the struggling marriage? For the health issue? Maybe these things come into our lives so, if turned over to you for redemption, they can bring about your glory in our lives and for others.

Father, help me to be much, much less judgmental of other people. Help me to be an encourager. Help me to see the person who is struggling and not immediately think they should repent, but instead offer them your comfort, love, and power. Help me to accept all of that for myself as well. Basically, the disciples start this story believing a lie. Help me to recognize the lies I believe and reject them for your truth.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen