Who’s to Blame?

March 1, 2023 by Kimberly Orr, Publisher of The Upper Room

[Jesus’] disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”

— John 9:2-3 (NRSV)

During this Lenten and Easter season, my prayer is that Christians will clearly hear God’s desire for relationship and restoration among us. The disciples’ question in the text above is still heard today, and all too often blame is assigned to those who suffer.

In both John 9 and Luke 13, Jesus decisively disconnects sinfulness from suffering. Jesus came to bring life and 
re-created hope to the world and to put back in order those things that had become out of order. His words and actions are examples for us today. We, as his followers, are given the gracious, Holy Spirit-enabled task of extending Jesus’ ministry of restoration to the world around us.

In the story of the man born blind in John 9, Jesus demonstrates a redemptive disposition toward the people in the story. Truly it is God’s intention that none should perish (see 2 Pet. 3:9), and God always has in mind for us a future with a fully restored heaven and earth. As followers of Christ’s example, we are therefore called to play an important role in this divine renovation project. As we continue to grow in grace during this holy season, may our first response to suffering be less about evaluating what went wrong and more about how we can help to make things right.


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The Upper Room magazine's mission is to provide a practical way to listen to scripture, connect with believers around the world, and spend time with God each day.

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