New Hope of Dignity

John 9:1-17

In this Gospel reading from John, Jesus reached out specifically to the blind beggar. His actions show us that all are worthy of dignity no matter whom he/she may be.

Like many of the people who didn’t understand Jesus’ actions and refused to see, I, too, can stay in my blindness. It is safe to be with others who are similar to me, who look the same, think the same and disapprove of the same people and things.

I remember when I was a young elementary school teacher, I had a little girl in class who was physically and mentally disabled; her disability caused her to look and act very differently from the other children. I’m embarrassed to say that I was reluctant to do more than the bare minimum for this little one. Luckily for all of us in that third grade class there was a boy who recognized the dignity of the disabled girl and was very attentive to her, sat with her at lunch and played with her at recess and came to me with sweet stories about her.

I now see God’s hand in all of what happened that year. Not only I, but many of the children in class viewed her differently and made the effort to see her as one of God’s special children. I am so thankful for that wonderful opportunity to overcome my own blindness and see that I was being offered new eyes of faith in how I view others.

You are my lamp, O Lord!

O my God, You brighten the darkness about me.

-2 Samuel 22:29

(c) 2015 Donnie Hawley