John 9:1-3
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. – John 9:3
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As Jesus and His disciples walked past a man blind from birth, the disciples’ first instinct was to ask, “Who sinned?” They viewed the man’s disability as a problem to be explained, a result of someone’s failure.
Jesus corrected this common belief that suffering is always caused by sin. He shifted the focus from blame to divine purpose: the man’s condition was sovereignly allowed so that God’s works might be revealed through him. God is sovereign even over suffering. Not all pain is punitive; some suffering exists to glorify God. This counters the prosperity gospel and affirms a biblical theology of suffering, that God can use hardship to display His grace and power.
In that one statement, Jesus reframes how we see disability, suffering, and human worth. The man’s blindness was not a punishment to be pitied nor a defect to be corrected, but an opportunity for God’s glory to be displayed. People are not defined by what they lack, but by the image of God they bear and the potential they hold for His grace to shine through.
This story, though centred on physical sight, is really about spiritual vision—learning to see as Jesus sees. The disciples saw a sinner to be analysed; Jesus saw a person to be loved. The neighbours saw a beggar; Jesus saw a vessel of divine glory. And when the man himself finally saw, both physically and spiritually, he became a living testimony that God’s love opens the eyes of both the blind and the blind-hearted.
Inclusion, then, is not merely an act of kindness; it is an act of worship. It’s worshipful when our inclusion reflects God’s character and glorifies Christ, not when it simply reflects social ideals. Every person, regardless of ability, reflects a facet of God’s glory that the rest of us would miss without them. When the church embraces those the world tends to overlook, it becomes a fuller picture of Christ’s body, where each member is indispensable (1 Cor 12:22–23).
In Exodus 4:11, God reminds us that He is sovereign over every ability and limitation. Our strengths and weaknesses alike are part of His loving design. As Romans 9:20–23 teaches, the Potter shapes each vessel to reveal His mercy and glory in different ways. Some lives, through weakness and endurance, reveal His grace more vividly than strength ever could.
For the church, this means moving from awareness to true belonging. Inclusion is not about “making space for them,” but recognising that without them, our understanding of God is incomplete. A child with a neurodevelopmental disorder who worships with joy, a member who serves faithfully despite challenges, a friend who endures suffering with grace—all are living displays of the “works of God.”
When we see through Jesus’ eyes, we begin to understand that every story of pain, limitation or disability can become a story of divine purpose. The real miracle is not only that the blind man received sight, but that everyone around him was invited to see differently.
Reflection:
1. How have I been tempted to view others’ suffering as a result of sin or misfortune, rather than an opportunity for God’s glory? 2. In what ways can I help our church reflect Jesus’ inclusive love, seeing every person as essential to displaying His works?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, open our eyes to see as You see. Forgive us for judging by outward appearances. Teach us to recognise Your glory in every person, especially in those the world overlooks. Make our church a place where Your love is displayed through every life, where inclusion is not an obligation, but a joyful reflection of Your heart. May we, too, be healed from our own blindness, and learn to see Your works revealed in all things. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Click to read
As Jesus and His disciples walked past a man blind from birth, the disciples’ first instinct was to ask, “Who sinned?” They viewed the man’s disability as a problem to be explained, a result of someone’s failure.
Jesus corrected this common belief that suffering is always caused by sin. He shifted the focus from blame to divine purpose: the man’s condition was sovereignly allowed so that God’s works might be revealed through him. God is sovereign even over suffering. Not all pain is punitive; some suffering exists to glorify God. This counters the prosperity gospel and affirms a biblical theology of suffering, that God can use hardship to display His grace and power.
In that one statement, Jesus reframes how we see disability, suffering, and human worth. The man’s blindness was not a punishment to be pitied nor a defect to be corrected, but an opportunity for God’s glory to be displayed. People are not defined by what they lack, but by the image of God they bear and the potential they hold for His grace to shine through.
This story, though centred on physical sight, is really about spiritual vision—learning to see as Jesus sees. The disciples saw a sinner to be analysed; Jesus saw a person to be loved. The neighbours saw a beggar; Jesus saw a vessel of divine glory. And when the man himself finally saw, both physically and spiritually, he became a living testimony that God’s love opens the eyes of both the blind and the blind-hearted.
Inclusion, then, is not merely an act of kindness; it is an act of worship. It’s worshipful when our inclusion reflects God’s character and glorifies Christ, not when it simply reflects social ideals. Every person, regardless of ability, reflects a facet of God’s glory that the rest of us would miss without them. When the church embraces those the world tends to overlook, it becomes a fuller picture of Christ’s body, where each member is indispensable (1 Cor 12:22–23).
In Exodus 4:11, God reminds us that He is sovereign over every ability and limitation. Our strengths and weaknesses alike are part of His loving design. As Romans 9:20–23 teaches, the Potter shapes each vessel to reveal His mercy and glory in different ways. Some lives, through weakness and endurance, reveal His grace more vividly than strength ever could.
For the church, this means moving from awareness to true belonging. Inclusion is not about “making space for them,” but recognising that without them, our understanding of God is incomplete. A child with a neurodevelopmental disorder who worships with joy, a member who serves faithfully despite challenges, a friend who endures suffering with grace—all are living displays of the “works of God.”
When we see through Jesus’ eyes, we begin to understand that every story of pain, limitation or disability can become a story of divine purpose. The real miracle is not only that the blind man received sight, but that everyone around him was invited to see differently.
Reflection:
1. How have I been tempted to view others’ suffering as a result of sin or misfortune, rather than an opportunity for God’s glory? 2. In what ways can I help our church reflect Jesus’ inclusive love, seeing every person as essential to displaying His works?
Prayer:
Dear Lord, open our eyes to see as You see. Forgive us for judging by outward appearances. Teach us to recognise Your glory in every person, especially in those the world overlooks. Make our church a place where Your love is displayed through every life, where inclusion is not an obligation, but a joyful reflection of Your heart. May we, too, be healed from our own blindness, and learn to see Your works revealed in all things. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.