John 5:1-18 Do You Want to Be Made Well?

Pool of Bethesda Archaeological site. Credit: Guy Davis

Observation: Near the pool of Beth-zatha (Bethesda or Bethsaida in other manuscripts) a man is sitting there who has been ill for thirty eight years. Even with today's life expectancy, that could easily be most of his life. Jesus asks what should be an obvious question, but takes him utterly by surprise: "Do you want to be made well?" 

Application: Sometimes we deal with a problem for so long it seems to become a part of us. Like the man lying at the pool, the idea of healing has become almost intimidating, because it constitutes radical change. It requires us to live and move differently than we have for most of our lives. 

Unlike two thousand years ago, many people living with disabilities today live fairly full lives. For many decades it has been slowly dawning on our society that it's not always those whose bodies and minds are different from most who need healing. It's also our attitudes, our ways of assigning value, and acceptance of different ways of being. 

My son has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. We've known for a long time that his approach to the world is unique, but this concrete understanding of how his mind works is still new for us as his family. He's still trying to figure it out himself. But the thing is, if Jesus came to him and said, "Hey, do you want me to rewire your brain so you'd be neurotypical, and experience the world the way most of your class does?" I don't know what he'd say. I know for sure what I'd say: Not in a million years. My son's way of seeing the world doesn't need to be healed. 

But if Jesus were to come to the rest of the world and say, "Do you want to be healed? Do you want to start getting to know people whose bodies and minds are different, the way I know them? While we're at it, what about those who love differently than you do? Do you want to be healed, and know them as I do?" Are we ready for that? 

I wish we could say "yes". But I'm not sure. The kind of healing Jesus offers would require a lot of change. It would change our public spaces. It would change the way we talk, and the way we think. But it would give so much more dimension to the way we experience God's good creation. God created us good. All of us. 

So what do you say, America? Do you want to be healed? 

Prayer: God, change my heart and my mind. Help me get to know new aspects of your good creation, and to love them as you do. When I mess up and say or think hurtful things, give me strength to ask forgiveness. Be with people today who are getting to know themselves, especially those who are different in their bodies, minds or hearts from most people. Help them to love themselves as you love them. Amen.