It’s a well known fact that good things come in small packages – right? What if a package was delivered to you and the return address was heaven? The stamp would certainly be worth collecting. What if it contained exactly what you needed? What if it wasn’t a good thing, but a “great thing” and you didn’t recognize it or understand that you needed it? What if you opened the package and it didn’t bring you happiness? What if it brought you…pain, and suffering, and agony, and misery?! Then what? It was addressed to you and you had to take whatever was inside!
Tough break? Not necessarily. The Bible is full of stories about people who suffer, and because of it God is lifted up, and lives are changed for the better. Maybe it takes a day, a year, a generation, a lifetime, or eons!
The Gospel of John, Chapter 9, records the story about a man born blind and how his sight is restored by Jesus. A miracle preformed in the same town where he lived and where everyone knew him. Some of the religious leaders, the Pharisees, couldn’t, or wouldn’t believe it. A miracle was performed on the Jewish Sabbath, a day when no work was permitted! They dismissed the miracle; they wanted the healer punished…for healing on a Sabbath day! Can you imagine? From all indications, the man saw life much differently from then on!
They asked Jesus, who sinned, this man or his parents that this man was born blind? Jesus told them, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life” John 9:1-3. In Jesus’ day people had different reactions to his work, his messages, and his miracles. The neighbors revealed surprise and skepticism; the Pharisees showed disbelief and prejudice; the parents of this blind man kept quiet for fear of excommunication; and the healed man showed consistent, growing faith. The common belief in Jewish culture was that calamity or suffering was a result of some great sin. But Christ used this man’s suffering to teach about faith and to glorify God.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18
“And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together…”Isaiah 40:5
Now can you see why it’s important to open your gift?
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