February 26
Bible Reading: John 9:1-5
John 9:1-3, “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.’”
The blame game. We’ve all played it, as it’s been around for a long, long time—ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and Eve blamed the devil and Adam blamed Eve. We’ve a human fascination is affixing blame when it comes to the myriads of troubles that confront us in this sin-cursed world. Sometimes it’s necessary to find out who is at fault for something, like when a crime is committed or an accident takes place. But frequently we play the blame game simply for entertainment. In picking on the faults or failures of others, it’s easier to ignore our own.
The rabbis of Jesus’ day taught that blindness was punishment for human sin, for it prevented study of the Law. That teaching gave rise to the disciples’ question: “Who sinned, this man or her parents?” Jesus abruptly put an end to such thinking.
We should note that Adam’s fall (Romans 5:12) is the ultimate source of all our troubles. There is sin and disease and countless maladies because this world lies under a curse. That does not mean, however, that every human malady is the direct result of a person’s particular sin. Sin has its consequences, but it wasn’t a personal sin that led to the man’s blindness.
The disciples saw a blind man and wanted to affix blame. Jesus saw a man in need of help and an opportunity for God to be glorified. Through which lens do we view our troubles and the troubles of those around us? It’s relatively simple to engage in a discussion about why this bad thing happened to so and so. It’s another thing, a more virtuous thing, to prayerfully trust God to work to bring good out of bad, something He is fully willing and able to do!
What’s your handicap? What’s your trouble, disability, obstacle, debilitating habit or disease or complaint? Your weakness is no hindrance to God’s intervention (2 Corinthians 12:9)! God may not have healed Fanny Crosby of her blindness, but her disability did not prevent God from working through her in amazing fashion, as she wrote over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs. The hymn below being one of them.
It’s better to lend a helping hand than to point an accusing finger.
RESCUE THE PERISHING
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying,
Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;
Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,
Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.
Refrain:
Rescue the perishing,
Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
Jesus will save.
Though they are slighting Him,
Still He is waiting,
Waiting the penitent child to receive;
Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently;
He will forgive if they only believe. [Refrain]
Down in the human heart,
Crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more. [Refrain]
Rescue the perishing,
Duty demands it;
Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;
Back to the narrow way patiently win them;
Tell the poor wanderer a Savior has died. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 