No Complaints

Do everything without grumbling or complaining. (Philippians 2:14)

So I’m wondering… did Jesus heal only happy, good people? I mean, if I were Jesus, I’d be delighted to help the beggar who was singing in the rain, or the paralytic who was knitting blankets for refugees, or the leper with the huge grin on his face. But I’m not Jesus… obviously.

Amazingly, He seems to not restrict His goodness only to the good. And it puzzles me that He dishes out blessing to some pretty undeserving (in my opinion) people… prostitutes, persecutors, thieves, even murderers. Sometimes it appears He even withholds His answers to prayer from some very saintly saints… surely they should be the first on His list of candidates for miracles.

Last weekend I met an incredible young man, Sam (not his real name). He has been blind all his life. Yet I heard no complaints from Sam. He has completed college, lives on his own in a third floor apartment, walks to work every day unassisted, and holds down a good job. I got the feeling that Sam “sees” a lot more than most of us. Rather than allowing challenge to enslave him, he has learned to let his challenge enrich him.

I assume Sam has asked God to give him the gift of sight. I’m sure if I were him I would have begged God repeatedly. Perhaps Sam’s even been prayed for more than once, to receive a supernatural touch. But as of yet his physical eyes are sightless. I think Sam ought to qualify as the next recipient of Jesus’ healing touch.

And perhaps he will be. But then again, maybe he’ll continue living minus his fifth sense. Maybe he’ll grow old that way. Maybe he’ll die that way.

I don’t understand it all. But one thing I think I know… Sam won’t complain either way. He’ll praise God regardless. He knows that some day morning will come and there will be joy, but in the meantime, he’ll have a song in the night! And perhaps that’s the greatest healing there is!