Pacemakers, Post-it notes, YouTube, Listerine, and bubble wrap, what do these items have in common? They were all originally created for entirely different purposes. Pacemakers, for instance, were designed to record heartbeats, but a malfunction led to them being used to regulate heart rhythms. Similarly, Post-it notes came from a failed adhesive, bubble wrap from an error in making textured wallpaper, and so on. These items, once thought to be failures, ended up being extremely useful in ways no one would’ve thought.

In John chapter 9, Jesus and his disciples come across a man who is described as a having been blind since his birth. Being blind in those days would mean the man would have to be almost completely reliant on others, and he is described as being a beggar. This would mean that most of the people in the surrounding areas knew of him, and maybe even helped in caring for him. The disciples assume his blindness is due to sin, as was a popular belief in those days; But Jesus dismisses this, explaining that the man's condition is an opportunity to display God's power. Jesus heals the man by applying mud to his eyes, and the man gains his sight. The people who knew him as a blind beggar are astonished, some even doubting that he is the same person that they had cared for, and seen begging for years. This miracle shows Christ’s power, and eliminates the notion that suffering is always a result of sin.

The blind man likely struggled with his condition, questioning why he was afflicted. However, his healing shows that God can work through difficult circumstances. Just as the supposedly failed inventions were repurposed into something valuable, God used the blind man to show His power. The point is, no matter your circumstances or perceived failures, God can use you in unexpected and powerful ways to fulfill His purpose.