Lessons for Leaders: Joni Eareckson Tada

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 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. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”John 9

Sufferiing
A word that is as foreign to us

as
Abundance and fullness are to countries where shortages abound
Suffering
A word that all of us want to avoid like the plague
We would rather listen to bubblegum music
celebrate over a couple of beers

medicate our pain

with

booze,

drugs

or

select our friendships based on the good feelings they  bring to us

Suffering

a word none of us want to hear

physician assisted suicide

abortion

mercy killings

all words meant to help us avoid needless suffering

yet,

God  reminds us in John 9

Neither this man nor his parents sinned,

"but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him"

By terminating life regardless of the circumstances,

are we merely denying God's greatest work?

new life

saved lives,

redeemed lives

often are the results of watching God's hands on a suffering servant

vision

dreams

are the result of leaning into our pain and

trusting God that he truly knows what he is doing

with our life

As a Christian we mustn't be afraid of those who suffer

Rather than play god and avoid the pain

we ought to

pull up a chair

roll up our sleeves

and

listen to someone's story

by doing so

we just might see angels in their midst

and witness

God's greatest work yet!