This Sunday: March 15 4th Sunday in Lent.

1 Samuel 16:1-13 ~ Psalm 23 ~ Ephesians 5:8-14 ~ John 9:1-41

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What you see sometimes depends upon how you’re looking.  The Gospel story revolves around a man born blind.  The prevailing perspective taught that all bad things happen because of someone’s sin.  Simple cause and effect.  Thus, the disciples looked at this man and ask, “who’s sin caused this?”  This line of questioning leads them to see the problem rather than the person—an illustration for a theological debate.

Jesus dismisses the idea that anyone’s sin caused the blindness and instead heals the man as a sign of God’s love.  In the Gospel of John, everything is an opportunity to reveal God’s love and light.  

When the Pharisees hear of it, they look at it completely different, seeing an infraction of the law because the man was healed on the sabbath.  

Our interpretation of the problem determines our response.  Maybe our view limits the possibilities or perhaps it presents new ones.  In the story, one man is a theological problem, a child of God, and a witness to a crime.  Each identity calls for a different response.

After reading the scriptures for this day, discuss the following questions with someone else:

1. Consider again the story in the Gospel, how might the three different groups’ view of the man dictate how they treat him?  Add more to the story to tell the outcome for each group.

2. Where in the world might this be happening now: our opinion of the situation dictates how we respond.  

3. What are some examples of labels that we that shape our perspective and response?  How might a different identity change how we respond?