May 19, 2023

John 9: 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (NIV)

Saying that Christ is the answer assumes we have a legitimate question.*

Perhaps you’ve heard the old illustration about the man who was asked, “Do you still beat your wife?” Clearly, whether he answered yes or no, he was in trouble. Similarly, Jesus’ disciples thought there were only two possible answers to their queries about the man’s blindness – and either way, somebody had to be to blame.

How often do we think we know the answers to someone else’s problems? (Probably more often than we know the answers to our own problems!) We may easily look at another’s life and see it in stark black and white, while from their perspective, it is all in shades of gray. And if we knew their story as well as they do, we might begin to pick up on the gray tones as well.

For example: I have a friend whose son grew up and made poor choices, ending up homeless and jobless, with a girlfriend and two small children. My friend allowed them all to live with her for the sake of the children. My black and white view of her problem: she should not let her son and his girlfriend cohabitate in her house. Her gray perspective: what would become of her helpless grandchildren if she kicked them out? My simplistic answer was not going to solve her problems.

Jesus knew the right answer to give to his disciples, just like he does for my friend. He is always the source of help – and I am not. I have prayed for my friend and I have encouraged her, but I have never told her what she should do. The Holy Spirit has chosen to reveal his will to her without my input. That’s the way it often works when Jesus is the answer! 

Most people are convinced that the answer to mankind’s problems lies in mankind’s ability to solve them.*