Why does God make children with Down syndrome or any disabilities for that matter?
“As He was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples questioned Him:
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? ”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,”
Jesus answered.
“This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.”
John 9:1-3
Jesus then proceeds to spit on the ground and apply the mud to the man’s eyes and directs him to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. The man is healed from his blindness. So, why did God allow the man to be born blind? Was it so that the man could see? No. It was so that the man could help others acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God.
At first, the temptation is to think that the healing is what makes this man’s blindness give “glory to God,” but if we read it carefully we see that Jesus simply says “this came about (his blindness) so that God’s works might be displayed in him.” For this particular occasion “God’s works” were for Jesus to spit on the ground and make mud and apply it to the man’s eyes—a sign that Jesus had the power to give sight to the blind. This was a declaration of who Jesus was. The man was born blind so that his life would point to who Jesus is.
At first the disciples question Jesus about the man because they think that if the man was born blind then either he sinned or his parents sinned so as to CAUSE his blindness. In other words, something someone did caused this malady to occur. But Jesus corrects them by saying God caused this man to be born blind for HIS PURPOSES—that through his blindness more might come to see Jesus.
Like me, a lot of people wonder why their kid is born with disabilities and some also think that it’s because they did something wrong and God gave them this child with a disability as punishment, but that is not what God’s word says.
Romans 8 states that our sins have no bearing on our lives anymore because Jesus paid all of our penalties on the cross:
“Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus,”
Romans 8:1
So, a disability cannot be “punishment.”
What is it then?
Why did God allow for my son to be born with Down syndrome?
The answer is best shown in John 9 through the man who was born blind.
“His life is meant to put God on display.”
But we must be careful not to lump his healing with the meaning of what Jesus was saying. His healing was one way in which Jesus could show others that He was God. The point is that this man was able to help people see Jesus as Lord.
When my newborn son takes his 100th nap of the day and is all scrunched up in his snuggle-me bed I love to stare at him. As I stare at him I wonder what life will be like for him as he gets older. What will he look like? Probably very similar to other kids with Down syndrome. What will he be able to accomplish? Will he be able to be independent one day? Find a job? Have a family? Some of the answers are yes, others are I don’t know, and some are a definite no.
But the only question that pertains to the purpose of his life (and all our lives for that matter) is “will his life display God?”
And that is the only question I need consider as I think about his life and his future.
Will my son who has Down syndrome be able to live a life that displays God?
If so, how might we do that together?
Will my daughter’s life display God?
Will my other son’s life display God?
Will my life display God?
Because that is why God made each of us in His image to be image bearers on earth.
We are called to live a life worthy of the One who gave life to us with patience and humility (Ephesians 4:1).
Our purpose is to live to the glory of God so that more would be saved just as you have been saved by His glorifying God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
We are all told the reality that in this life we will
have trouble, but He has overcome (John 16:33), which means so will you.
“Now this is what the Lord says — the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel — “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name;
you are Mine.
I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you.
You will not be scorched when you walk through the fire, and the flame will not burn you.”
Isaiah 43:1-2
The man born blind glorified God through his blindness. Jesus glorified God through His death on a cross.
It doesn’t always look good, but it always ends good.
The truth is that God is a good God.
He’s good because He gave Jesus for you, what would He withhold from you after giving up His everything to bring you to Himself (Romans 8:32)?
Noah’s life is my biggest blessing because the moment he was born I knew for certain my life would not be conventional. I will be reminded everyday that my life is to be intentional.
-Jamie
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