Blind Stitches

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, freedom for the oppressed, and recovery of sight for the blind—to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. — Luke 4:18–19
Eyesight is a precious commodity. Nobody wants to lose it, but some do. Why? Surely the man who came to bring sight to the blind would not allow one of his children to become blind. How could that happen?
Someone must have sinned.
That’s the assumption today, the same as two thousand years ago, when people asked Jesus why a man was born blind. They had no idea that God could have a purpose in people’s afflictions.
His disciples said, “Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was his condition caused by the man’s sin or the sin of his parents?”
“Neither one. His blindness is not due to sin but was given so the works of God could be revealed in him.”
— John 9:2–3
Without a need, there could be no miracles.
As a teenager, I once prayed for God to do a miracle in my life. But then I thought about my words and decided I didn’t want the desperate straits that would require divine intervention.
I don’t know if it was an answer to prayer, but I’m sure it was God’s provision that he either caused or allowed my significant pain and suffering to reveal the greatness of his glory.
If I had the choice, I’d do it all over again, because all those tough times brought me to where I am today and gives me hope for tomorrow.
What if God says no?
Supposedly, if I can avoid sin and believe hard enough, God will always say yes. Like Job, I’ve found that isn’t always true. But if it isn’t, I can be confident that God has a plan in allowing my pain. Knowing that fact helps me just a little.
Blindness is not a sin.
Since I grew up in an environment that expected excellence, I learned to live with my ignorance. I wanted to know everything. I wanted to see more. But I had to admit, in many ways, I was blind. I still am.
I’ve found that this is not a problem, because my blindness leaves me dependent on God. I must trust him because he sees what I cannot see.
Jesus didn’t condemn blindness. What he condemned was people saying they could see when they didn’t.
“If you were blind,” Jesus said, “you would be blameless. But because you say you can see, you remain blind.” — John 9:41
Accepting our blindness will change what we can see.
If I were to lose my eyesight, could I still be a writer? Absolutely. Sometimes I close my eyes so I can see better.
Diane Rose, who lives in the Waco, Texas, metropolitan area, is an amazing quilter. In the last twenty years, she has sewn a thousand quilts. She has quilted her beautiful works of art for presidents and celebrities.
More than a million people have viewed her story on YouTube, because what is most amazing is that she is blind.