When Limitations are Glorifying

John 9:1: "As he (Jesus) went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.'"

The prevailing understanding of illness in antiquity was that it was the result of sin in the life of either the person suffering the affliction or some close companion with whom the person associated. In this story, the disciples prematurely had concluded that the blindness of the man was necessarily the result of his own sin or the sin of his parents. Jesus countered this false assumption with the bold declaration that the man's blindness was serving the purpose of displaying the work of God. Specifically, Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem to be crucified for the sins of the world. While on this trek, He desired to demonstrate that it was He who would bring sight to the spiritually blind. For the people of Israel, there was an understanding that only God (the Messiah) could provide physical and spiritual sight for blindness (Exodus 4:11; Psalm 146:8; Isaiah 35:5); thus, Jesus was asserting that He (God) was the appropriate, perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus, in being the sinless Divine One, could only provide the sufficient payment for the transgressions of a fallen humanity.

Therefore, the blind man, who had endured blindness for many years through his childhood and adulthood was serving the purpose of bringing glory to God through God's demonstrative act of power, bringing deliverance. The result was not only physical healing of sight for the man but spiritual healing through the man's yielding to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (John 9:38).

A similar story of tragedy turned to triumph for the Lord occurred in the life of John Milton. The 17th-century English writer was noted for his profound writing and oratory skills. Early in life, Milton was quite accomplished in the classical languages and earned two degrees from Cambridge University. At the age of 40 he was invited by Oliver Cromwell to serve in the government. This aspiring young man was passionate for learning, and he found himself quickly gaining notoriety in England. Yet within three years, Milton found himself completely blind. What is noteworthy is not so much Milton's accomplishments prior to his physical handicap, but his attainments thereafter; for Milton's works, Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained were penned during this later era of his life. What I have found so inspirational is the poem that he penned near the age of 80:

On His Blindness

When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide,
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my maker, and present
My true account, lest he returning chide,
"Doth God exact day-labor, light denied,"
I fondly ask; But patience to prevent
That murmur, soon replies, "God doth not need
Either man's work or his own gifts, who best
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best, his state
Is kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest:
They also serve who only stand and wait."

In this poem, Milton proclaims that his physical handicap served to incline his soul to serve his Maker all the more. He came to appreciate that God was (and forever is) not in need of man's gifts or work; what God desires is for man to submit to the yoke of His Lordship in his life. Glory to God is not necessarily found in a man's accomplishments, but in His willingness to surrender to the King of kings and permit Him to work out His purposes through the life he has . . . no matter what limitations are present.