PASSIVITY NOT AN OPTION IN THE FACE OF HUMAN NEED.

INSIGHTS FROM JOHN 9:1-3;

Reading the gospel of John in chapter 9 :1-3; we are told about the interaction between Jesus and His disciples concerning a beggar who was born blind. The response and reaction of the students of Jesus to this common sight of brokenness and suffering in the real world, is a helpful tool in confronting our own agenda’s and exposing our assumptions and prejudice.

 How does one respond to human need when we are confronted by it?  John presents us with a blind man begging.  There are several possible responses to the reality of human differentiation and need. One might have compassion and give some money or offer some form of practical help.  More often than not we are probably too busy and insensitive to notice. Or we choose not to see or help, We are often too focussed on our own needs and agendas to bother about the needs of the “other.” I am guilty of all these responses and more!

The response of the disciples of Jesus: is interesting, surprising and may be not so surprising!  Being with Jesus we would expect them to be kind, generous, sensitive to their neighbour etc, etc. But at another level it is not at all that surprising, having been involved in a variety of Christian ministry, as a youth worker, pastor,  health care and healing profession, development work and community building, cross cultural mission and more recently theological education.  I recognise the temptation to pre judge, put people and issues into neat manageable boxes, generalise, and reduce real painful realities into abstract concepts and numbers! Its less threatening!  if It is a statistical reality or  a concept, it does not seem to require a practical or immediate response from us.  The disciples even get philosophical and wonder if this was a case of “bad Karma” I recognise this fatalistic attitude coming from India  the land of Good and bad Karma.

Jesus’ response is decisive in John ch. 9:3; he nips this erroneous way of thinking in the bud. He corrects his disciples by rejecting their analysis and diagnosis of futility “…neither this man nor his parents sinned…”  Jesus then  goes onto say …” but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life ”  Jesus introduces a positive perspective to the reality of human suffering and brokenness.  Can we view the context of human need as a great opportunity to introduce God into the equation and get involved. Passivity is not an option for a student of Jesus. Our theology is only authenticated when the rubber hits the road!  Too much of our theology is sanctified opinion and verbiage. Let us  chose to abandon the hot air brigade and opt instead to view the world with hope and introduce new possibilities from a redemptive perspective on life. It is called the Gospel!  Remember He is “Good news for the poor.”