In John 5, we meet a man who had been sick for 38 years. When Jesus asked if he wanted to get well, the man didn’t say yes or no. Instead, he explained why he couldn’t be healed. The reason? Because he had no one to help him into the pool. He believed his suffering continued because no one cared enough to lend a hand. Over time, he accepted that this was simply his life, that nothing would ever change.
This sense of helplessness isn’t unique to him. Blaming others starts early in life. A school kid may explain that his poor grades are because he has “the meanest teacher in school.” As long as the student can blame the teacher, then the student is not the problem. Fifty-nine years ago, cigarette packages began carrying warnings about the dangers of smoking. Yet year after year, thousands of lawsuits are filed by people who say it’s someone else’s fault that they are sick.
Blame can be a comfortable place to rest when we’ve suffered a long time. But it also keeps us stuck. Jesus didn’t argue with the man’s excuses. He simply told him to get up and walk. Sometimes, the healing begins when we stop waiting for others to fix us and respond to the voice that calls us to rise.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.