SPIRITUAL VISION 08
Mar. 2, 08
You and I have so many blessings in our lives.
What a difference it would make in our attitude if we started
out each day thanking God for these blessings.
The man born blind was thankful to Christ for
his sight if this man was thankful to receive his sight after a
life time of darkness; should we not be the more thankful for a
lifetime of seeing?
I would like to ask two questions. How do you
see other people? And how do you see God?
How do you see other people?
Jesus came upon a man blind from birth. Probably hundreds of
people passed by this man every day. They probably didn’t ever
notice him. Or maybe they avoided him. After all he was
different. He was blind. Some people avoid people who are
different from them whatever differences might be—but not Jesus.
I have a married couple who are my special
friends. He was a veteran in the
Vietnam War and was declared totally disabled by the
Veterans Administration. He suffers from this Ancient Orange
toxic chemical that medicine has no cure. So he is in constant
pain. The Army spread this killing disease to kill all the North
Vietnamese with this chemical.
His wife had polio which left her paralyzed
and has to wear braces on her legs.
How
about you? What is your reaction when you meet people that has a
disability? Do you patronize and reach out to them? Or do you
treat them simply as you would another human being? These people
too deserve honest and just treatment and care.
The most severe disability I’ve met are people
who are coping with some major changes in their lifestyle. When
we reach out to them by our willingness to help them; we are the
first enjoy the blessings of helping others in their disability.
I have met people with disabilities who are
doing amazing things. We should not put them in a
box--Handicapped. They are human beings made into the image and
likeness of God. They are persons for whom Christ died. Jesus
loves them just as much as anybody else. They are carrying a
heavy cross that will someday merit them a high place in heaven.
This couple who are my best friends tell me
that their neighbors are very generous and helpful. They offer
to get them groceries, mow their lawn and do the everyday chores
that needs to be done in the home. The wife drives the car with
special devices put on to operate the car without use of your
feet.
The husband is totally handicapped because of
serving in the Vietnam War. The Veterans Administration is
giving him all the medical attention. Yet there was an article
in the Sun City Daily Paper that states there are still some
negligence in caring for these disabled men and women serving
our national security.
The second question I would like to ask: How
do you see God? Is God primarily a dispenser of justice? Or is
He also a God of mercy and love?
It seemed that in Jesus time they saw God as
merely a dispenser of justice.
Jesus said that God does not punish a child
for the sins of his parents, referring to the man born blind.
Jesus states that neither this man nor his parents have sinned
but that the work of God might be made visible through him.
God is not interested in punishing us for our
past. God looks at the present moment and the future. God wants
to take away our disability and pain and bring healing so that
we may give glory and thanks to our heavenly Father. He wants to
wash away our past so that we can fulfill the plan He has for
us. God asks us to offer up and unite our sufferings with Jesus
who paid the price for our sins.
This blind man experienced the healing touch of God and
he gave glory and praise to God.
There are many people who have been healed of
their illness and disability.
I can tell you how this happened to me. I was
on a tour through
So how do you see people with disability? How
do you see the hand of God healing us of the disorders and sin
in our life? How do you see the good things that happen in your
life.
The choice is ours. But I promise you it will
make all the difference in how much joy will come when we
believe in the power and mercy and love of God.