Does God Want To Display His Work In You? by Gennee

Does God Want To Display
His Work In You?
by Gennee

The ninth chapter of John is a story of the man who was born blind. It is a poignant story of healing, rejection, and reassurance. This story mirrors what some of the church denominations are dealing with in regards to GLBT people.

In the first verse we have the apostles questioning whether the blind man's parents sinned because he was born this way.

I love Jesus' reply that 'God would display his works through him' (NIV). The New Living Translation states that 'so the power of God can be seen in him.' How many parents have blamed themselves because their children came out deformed, blind, transgender, gay or lesbian? Some might ask if this is a part of God's plan?

In verses six and seven, we see Jesus putting mud on the blind man's eyes. He washes his eyes at the pool of Siloam and can now see.

The folks in his hometown wondered if he was the same person. This was the beginning of God displaying his work in him. The man was brought before the Pharisees. He was following the custom of showing himself to the priests because he was healed of an infirmity.

One would think that the religious hierarchy would be praising God for this miracle. Instead the formerly blind man was questioned hard.

They asked him who gave him his sight (vs.15). When he informed them that Jesus healed him, the Pharisees responded saying that Jesus wasn't from God because he didn't keep the Sabbath. To them, keeping man made rules were more important than a man being healed. Go back to chapter five in John, and we see Jesus healed a man who was lame. It too happened on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees even called in his parents because they didn't believe the man was born blind. They admitted that their son was born blind and that they didn't know who gave him his sight. Their tepid response revealed their true colors. They were more concerned with their standing in the synagogue than the fact that their son could now see (vs21).

The Pharisees questioned the blind man who was healed a second time and he repeated what had happened. The man demonstrated that he knew more about the nature of God than they did. The religious leaders cursed and reviled him and tossed him out of the synagogue. What happened to the man here is what happens to transgender and gender variant people. They are reviled because they don't 'look proper'. The Pharisees would say 'they don't look or act likes us.'

Jesus heard what had happened and found the blind man who had received his sight. I imagine the young man was hurt and confused by the response of the religious leaders.

Jesus reassured the man that it was he who gave him his sight and that He was the Son of God (vs.37). The man worshipped him. I don't know if the man wept, but I would not be surprised if he did. Jesus connected with his heart.

The last three verses of John 9 are striking because it describes some of the religious leaders and denominations of our day. Some are more concerned with appearance, form and their big contributors than they are a transgender person who needs spiritual guidance. There are churches who are welcoming of gender variant men and women and I praise God for them. There are others who are so blinded by greed, transphobia, and man made rules that the opportunity to see God display himself on a transgender brother or sister is missed.

Could it be that the work God wants to be displayed in transgender people? Do some fear that God is embracing and receiving gender variant people because they are persecuted by society? Jesus does not cast out anyone who comes to him. He reassured me that I was still his child after coming out as a cross-dresser and transgender. My transgender brother and sister, Jesus wants to display his work in you. He seeks you just like he sought the blind man who was healed after being thrown out of the synagogue. Why not come to Him and let Him fill you with His love.

Gennee

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