Impaired to the Glory of God

Louis Braille (1809–1852) is the inventor of the Braille system of reading for the blind. Through a series of organized bumps that represent letters, this system allows people with no light perception to enjoy the same written materials as people with normal sight. Mr. Braille was not born blind, however. He became blind after accidentally stabbing himself in the eye with his father’s awl.

Though it was a personal tragedy, Mr. Braille’s unfortunate accident led him to develop the Braille system, which is still widely used today. Countless numbers of blind and visually impaired people have benefitted from the invention. Thus, his accident led to a much larger good that has served many people since.

Jesus was called to heal a blind man who was begging. His disciples asked whether it was his own or his parents’ sin that caused him to be blind. Christ’s answer was that neither party’s sin caused the blindness, but rather that he was born blind so “the works of God should be revealed in him” (John 9:3). God does not permit His children to suffer unwarrantedly.

Though the blind man surely suffered throughout his life, his blindness caused Him to “see” Jesus for who He really was, and it led to his salvation. Additionally, his story has strengthened the faith of many Bible students throughout time.

When tragedy strikes, we must remember that God is bigger than the tragedy and that He must have a larger purpose in mind—or else He would have prevented the tragedy from occurring. Like Mr. Braille and the blind man in Jesus’ day, we should allow God to use our suffering to His glory. Great good, and even salvation, can come from surrendering to God in the midst of hardship.

Key Bible Texts

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. (Isaiah 29:18 KJV)