Posted on 06/17/2016 6:31:11 AM PDT by Salvation
Photo Credit: Jaclyn Lipplemann, Catholic Standard
Allow me to begin with a simple parable. Every now and then I take a perfectly good paper clip and untwist it, reconfiguring it for some other purpose. Once, I used them to hang Christmas ornaments on my tree. Another time I fashioned a paperclip into a hook to keep my broken file drawer from rolling open. Now if paperclips could see or think, they might be horrified and saddened to see a fellow paperclip so deformed. Perhaps I could try to explain that not only were their “deformed” brethren not a disaster, they were actually quite useful and important to me in their condition. But alas, paperclips can’t understand this; they just “look on” with sadness and horror. After all, how can you expect a paperclip to understand any function other than holding together sheets of paper? They can’t understand things beyond the world that they know.
I have often wondered if this isn’t somewhat analogous to our understanding of things such as disability, birth defects, and the personal challenges of some of our fellow humans. As we look upon the disabled, the handicapped, the deformed, and the mentally ill, we are often moved to sadness and even horror. And we sometimes ask why God allows this. We often conclude that such people’s lives are unhappy or that they will never reach their full potential.
And yet I wonder if we really know what we’re talking about. Who of us can really say what our own purpose is in God’s plan is, let alone anyone else’s? We are like paperclips; we know only one thing. Our minds are too small to ever comprehend the very special and significant role that even the most “impaired” in our world play. Perhaps in Heaven we will realize what indispensable and central roles they had in God’s plan and His victory. Of all the paperclips in my drawer, some of the most useful to me are the ones I’ve twisted and refashioned.
A knowledge too high – I pray that you will accept my humble example of a paperclip. I mean no disrespect to humanity in comparing us to paperclips. We are surely more precious and complicated and God does not use us cavalierly like paperclips. But my example must be humble in order to illustrate what is a knowledge too high for us to grasp: the dignity and essential purpose of every human being to God and His plan.
Our judgment in this matter isn’t much better than that of a paperclip, when compared to God’s omniscient wisdom. If it is absurd for us to imagine that a paperclip could understand our ways, is it any less absurd to think we can understand God’s ways? And if we can’t understand His ways, then why do we make judgments as to another person’s role, usefulness, beatitude, or status?
It is easy for us to look down on the poor, but Scripture says that we should look up to them. God is especially close to the poor, the suffering, the brokenhearted, and the humble. Scripture says that God uses the lowly to humble the proud. And yet we so easily look with pity on those we consider disadvantaged.
Over twenty years ago, I worked for a year with the profoundly mentally disabled. They lay in beds and wheelchairs, often having little control over their muscles. None of them could talk and only a few could engage in even the most rudimentary communication. There was one man in his forties who had never emerged from a fetal position. He lay in a large crib, his tiny yet clearly adult body curled up like a newborn. But on his face was an angelic smile that almost never diminished.
He had been baptized as an infant and to my knowledge could not have sinned. Each visit, I looked with marvel upon his innocent and beatific countenance. What an astonishing gift he was! And who knows, except God, why he was this way? But God does know; I think He had very important reasons for permitting this. There was something central and indispensable in this man’s existence, some role that only he could fill. Apparently I was not able to fill it.
In this sense he was not disabled—he was differently abled, uniquely abled for something out of the ordinary. Looking upon him, I had little doubt that he was directly in touch with God in a way that I never had been; his radiant face conveyed that. With our human eyes we can be saddened, even appalled. But we’ll understand it better someday. One day, in the great by and by, we may be surprised to learn that the most critical people in God’s plan were the most humble and the most broken, and that we would never have made it without them.
This video depicts the paradox of disability that sometimes shines through to teach us that we do not see the whole picture. Patrick Henry Hughes was born with significant defects, but as he grew, remarkable gifts showed forth. This is just a little reminder from God, a glimpse of what God sees. To Him, the disabled are differently and wonderfully abled.
Meet Patrick Henry Hughes:
Monsignor Pope Ping!
For later.
George Burns pretty much explains things like this in the movie Oh God and I agree with the premise.
Jesus told us, “The devil comes to STEAL, KILL and DESTROY, but I have come that you might have LIFE; and that more abundantly...”
GOD DOESN’T PERMIT DISABILITY and HE DOESN’T CAUSE IT.
To go back to the beginning, I don't think anyone would argue that it was God's will that Adam and Eve disobey Him.
Suggest you cease playing your ‘Mind of God’ game, as it’s way beyond pretentious.
I have birth defects.
I wouldn’t trade them for the world.
Pain, limited mobility and it’s tough to walk. It’s lead to arthritis and handicap (in certain things).
What it does it make me stronger and smarter. It’s made me what I am today. The kid who got beat up daily, had to “try extra hard” to get a date and figure out ways around it.
God does permit disability. Thank God.
First, you need to convince God that you are disabled.
His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus replied: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him”.
We raised two children who are differently abled. Each has his/her own hurdles and I see each (one is 35 and one is 40) keep fighting to each his/her potential. Strong heroes each.
“We raised two children who are differently abled.”
Yeah.. I mean of course I’ve looked at things from an “It’s bad/It’s ok” viewpoint. But overall the end result was that it’s just ... mu.
Neither good nor bad. It just is. You know, we can’t all drive Bugattis and live in mansions. That’s not god’s fault nor is it his concern.
Now suffering babies is still where I draw the damned line. I think I’ll be one of about 9 billion people around the world who are pondering this.
As someone who also was born with a birth defect; I couldn’t agree more with you.
So .. you’re saying Jesus basically said that the child was disfigured by GOD ..????? in order for GOD to prove he could heal the child. That’s so perverted .. who would want to serve a GOD who plays Russian roulette with your life.
By rightly dividing the Word of Truth, there is a different explanation. What it really meant is that when calamity comes upon a person/family; healing is available, if either the person or the parents believe in GOD and call upon Him to heal the person, healing is available all the time.
FAITH SPEAKS.
You are harsh...but 100% correct.
Who can pretend to know God's mind? We do know that He loves us. Jesus told us that.
In the end it matters little as THIS life is a blink of an eye and ETERNITY goes on for always. No disabilities in heaven, I presume.
God's Plan is for us to be with Him for eternity. We need only say YES to Him.
If we say NO, then we spend eternity in hell, A.K.A.: eternity WITHOUT God.
Agreed.Forgive the harsh tone.
:o) Nothing to forgive. Remember what Jesus did to the money lenders: took a WHIP to them! Lol. NOT smart to tick off the Son of God. Sometimes people deserve a bit of "harsh," especially when they are so wrong.
I SO often have a harsh tone...and have to go back and re-write. But, when you're right, you're right!
“GOD DOESN’T PERMIT DISABILITY and HE DOESN’T CAUSE IT.”
So your god isn’t all powerful and all knowing? If he doesn’t cause it or permit it then it just happens which means he’s not in total control.
“who plays Russian roulette with your life.”
Again you refer to a game that has random results versus intended consequences. Please explain your god’s limited abilities and random activity.
God gives us free will and we chose to love God. Sometimes we do not see the effects of one’s free will and how it affects others (even years later).
So don’t blame God for man’s sins.
Trust in God and you will be rewarded many fold.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.