Jesus, The Master of Circumstances

John 9: 1 – 7 (NIV): 1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." 6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

   Often, we assume God is punishing us for some sin when we suffer. We think Karma rules our lives. Something bad happens to someone and we think, “Wow, he must have done something really bad to cause that to happen to him.” Jesus tells us in this Scripture this is simply not true. It is true that we bring bad results on ourselves by the choices we make, but we must not think that God is punishing us every time something bad happens.

    In this account, Jesus said the man was born blind so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. Jesus showed his power by healing him for all to see. And not only that, he was saved by Jesus (vs 28). If he had not been blind he might not have been saved. A few years of suffering is worth eternity in heaven. What we must remember is that God is always up to something good. We may not understand it at the time, but we must trust that God is in control and knows what he is doing.

    Sometimes this is really hard to do, but that is what faith is all about. Why did Jesus make mud out of spit and put it on his eyes? Why didn’t he just say, “be healed?” I don’t know! Maybe that’s the point. Maybe we just simply do not always understand why God does what he does. Maybe Jesus wanted the man to do something himself to see if he had faith. Maybe Jesus wanted more people involved. After all, someone had to take the blind man to the Pool of Siloam.
    No matter what happens, God is Sovereign and in control. Jesus is the Master of Circumstances.