HOW ARE YOU?

Guest post by Author Nancy Lewis-Shelton

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 works of God might be displayed in him . . . After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam. So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. John 9:1-7 NIV

After my knee replacement, I hated to hear, “How are you?” If I answered with honesty, questions and hesitations followed as people consoled or offered help. At times, I thought about repeating Dave Ramsey’s phrase, “better than I deserve,” but it didn’t fit me. I gave different responses including: “Couldn’t be better.” or “I’m out of bed and walking.” Then, I gave this small issue more thought, wondering if my answers might be a way to add God into a conversation. When I first said, “God has given me another great day,” my friend smiled, “Me too.” I think she liked that honest response that reflected my faith and celebrated that God is good.

People in Jesus’ times tended to believe that illnesses were caused by the person, or, perhaps, by someone in the family, because a terrible sin had been committed. In today’s scripture, a blind man rejoiced when Jesus gave him the gift of sight. Jesus rejected the idea of an angry God who punishes us. When his disciples encountered the blind man, they asked whether the man or his parents, had caused the disability. Jesus emphasized that the man was not blind because anyone had sinned. Instead, he took the opportunity to do God’s work by healing. 

Often we don’t know or understand why things we view as bad happen. At times, there seems to be no justice in our lives. But, Jesus doesn’t promise we will be free of hardship. If we become too concerned with tragedy and unfairness, we lose the joy of a God who is good. And sometimes we find that the struggles of life help us to grow as we seek and appreciate the wonders of each day. “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:5)

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for guiding us as we strive to follow you. Help us to trust you more each day. Amen.

Nancy Lewis-Shelton retired from public education after years as a classroom teacher and school counselor. Published work includes devotionals and fiction/non-fiction short stories for adults and children. Recent publications include two fiction novellas about Cookie, a pet sitter. Volunteer activities include: church senior choir, elementary school Reading Buddy (Council of Churches), and a local oral storytelling group. When she’s not writing or volunteering, you might find her digging in the garden, playing bridge, reading, enjoying events with her daughter’s family, or participating in activities with her pet therapy dog, Robin.