Scriptural Reflection: 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. (John 9:1-3 ESV)
A plane flies into a building, and innocent people die.
A tsunami wipes out hundreds of thousands, and millions of families suffer.
It seems that every year, both globally and locally there are examples of suffering that leave us scratching our heads and wondering why it happened to the victims. Some use the disasters as proof in the non-existence of God; they say, "If God were real he wouldn't allow innocent people to suffer."
It is, on the surface, a statement that is worth considering. Becuase it usually comes for a grieving or hurt place, and a place that desires goodness and peace.
In the above passage the disciples have a similar question. They see a man who was blind from birth and enquire about whose fault it was. In their day nobody questioned the existence of God, so when they see suffering they usually explained it away by assigning blame to people.
"Who sinned, this man or his parents?"
What they are really asking is, "how did this man who was born blind end up with such an unfavorable lot in life? Is he being punished for something his parents did?" And maybe even, "and what can we do to avoid it happening to us?"
It's interesting that Jesus doesn't answer the "why" of suffering. That's what they wanted to know. Instead Jesus explains how his disciples should react to suffering.
"It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."
Jesus is not here giving a cause; he is not saying that the man suffered from a life of blindness just so a God's work could be done. No, he is saying that in light of the suffering God's work should be done in the man.
What is God's work?
John 6:29 says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
So Jesus is essentially saying that suffering is an occasion for believers to act towards those who suffer in such a way that way that belief in him might follow. So when we encounter suffering we offer the sacrificial love of Christ. When we suffer we do so patiently, realizing that the way in which we suffer might be an occasion for someone to believe in the Son; just like the suffering of the Son created an occasion for us to believe in him.
The "why" question is important, but the more important question is "what will you do about it?"
Jesus healed the man miraculously, and this brought about belief in the previously blind gentleman (read the rest of John 9). We may not be able to provide miraculous healing, but we can love so sacrificially that the sufferers see Jesus through our actions.