REFLECTIONS

Made by Design

Jesus slipped away from the temple court and walked through the streets with his disciples. As he 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. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me.” (John 9:1-4)

Now as the story unfolds, Jesus went on to heal the blind man; but there is a point he made beyond the hope from the healing. Jesus’ other point is that God had a purpose for the man’s life and his blindness was a central piece to it.

Through the years there must be millions of similar stories of people born with disabling imperfections who set life changing examples for others who faced similar physical or mental challenges. And besides those handicapped, their caregivers like the blind man’s parents set examples of their own.

No one could have expected much one night when a middle-aged mother led her adult-age son onto the stage of a nationally televised talent show. The mother introduced her son to the judges and the audience. Kodi is both autistic and blind. Yet his piano and vocal performances have mesmerized audiences and the talent show judges with musical interpretations reaching beyond even the composers’ imaginations. Most who have heard him would agree that Kodi Lee is fearfully and wonderfully made and his physical and emotional challenges are central to it.

But there’s an easily overlooked part of the story. Kodi’s mom reared a child who is unable to see and who suffers with an autistic condition. She has faced extraordinary challenges to Train up a child in the way he should go, [so] when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6) She had to call upon her extraordinary patience to uncover the exceptional talents hidden beneath her son’s physical and emotional burdens. Not only did she discover them, but she encouraged the development of them until they took him onto a national stage.

Burdened with human deficiencies and imperfection? Not on your life. You are made by design to bring glory to God like the man born blind; to bring joy to the world as Kodi Lee is doing; to inspire caregivers to give their all “for as long as it is day;” and to remind us all to praise God because by design we are…

fearfully and wonderful made to do the work of him who sent us.

You are the light of the world,

Richard +

www.reflectingthesavior.org.

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