Work of God

We as a society often view disability as an accident or flaw in our design. Those who claim no particular faith might say it is part of the evolutionary process, a hiccup in the laws of nature. To those who believe that way, I make no argument, at least not here, but I would challenge them to spend time with a disabled child, be it autism, down syndrome, or any other of the many conditions prevalent in our society. Get to know them, and then tell me they were a mistake.

Still others who claim faith in a higher power and believe in intelligent design, might say it is just part of the curse, part of living in an imperfect world. They might argue that God doesn’t make mistakes, but we do. So, these diseases and conditions are a result of our own bad choices. This must have been the way Jesus’ disciples felt when they asked Him about the blind man in John 9. To paraphrase, “Who’s sin caused his blindness, his or his parents’?” Jesus’ reply has brought me great comfort and hope for my son’s condition. Again, to paraphrase, “Neither. He was born this way so that the work of God might be displayed in him.”

This man’s blindness was not an act of divine punishment on an innocent child. Nor was it an accident or oversight on God’s part. It was a calling, a purposeful, intentional act of an all knowing, ever loving God. Growing in his mother’s womb, God chose this man to live blind, to be known as a man blind from birth, and to be healed by Jesus himself. His path was laid before he ever took a breath, the path that would lead him to Jesus.

That blind man was healed. He received his sight in this life, and through that miracle many others found healing and salvation. I don’t know what the future holds for my son, but I know that his condition is no accident. If he overcomes his autism and succeeds in this life, it will have been the work of God. However, if he struggles with his condition the rest of his life, it’s ok. It is his special calling. One that only he can fulfill.

I believe my Jackson was born with autism so that the work of God might be displayed in him, so that many others might through this work find healing and salvation. I place my hope in the hands of the God who made him, to lead him and guide him until the day that same God makes him whole and calls him home.

And, I can’t help but think that when we all get there and are able to see the way God sees, we’ll find that we were the ones with limited sight and out of whack senses.