Disabilities

Examples of disabilities

Barrenness

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Blindness

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Deafness

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Muteness

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Lameness

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Causes of disabilities

God’s judgment

Deuteronomy 28:28 LEB

28 Yahweh shall afflict you with madness and with blindness and with confusion of heart.

Accident

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Old age

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Congenital defects

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Cruelty

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Illness

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Acts of God

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Acts of evil spirits

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Unfavourable aspects of disability

Unfair advantage taken of the disabled

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Disabilities restrict service for God

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Favourable aspects of disabilities

Prayer to the Lord

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Prevention of overconfidence

2 Corinthians 12:7 LEB

7 even because of the extraordinary degree of the revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, in order that it would torment me so that I would not exalt myself.

Proof of God’s grace

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 LEB

9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Demonstration of God’s power

John 9:2–3 LEB

2 And his disciples asked him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” 3 Jesus replied, “Neither this man sinned nor his parents, but it happened so that the works of God could be revealed in him.

Disability and God’s people

God’s blessing may prevent or remove disability

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God’s providence

Exodus 4:11 LEB

11 And Yahweh said to him, “Who gave a mouth to humankind, or who makes mute or deaf or sighted or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?

God protects his servants by disabling their enemies

2 Kings 6:18 LEB

18 They came down to him, and Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said, “Please strike this people with blindness,” so he struck them with blindness as Elisha had spoken.

Human attitudes to disabilities

Bitterness

1 Samuel 1:10 LEB

10 She was deeply troubled, so she prayed to Yahweh and wept bitterly.

Contempt

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Inertness

John 5:6 LEB

6 Jesus, when he saw this one lying there and knew that he had been sick a long time already, said to him, “Do you want to become well?”

Rejoicing

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 LEB

9 And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

God’s compassion towards those with disabilities

Revealed in the precepts of the law

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Revealed in the promises of the prophets

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Revealed in the deeds of Jesus Christ

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Responsibilities towards those with disabilities

To treat them with respect

Leviticus 19:14 LEB

14 You shall not curse the deaf, and you shall not put a stumbling block before a blind person, but you shall revere your God; I am Yahweh.

Not to take advantage of them

Deuteronomy 27:18 LEB

18 ‘Cursed be the one who misleads a blind person on the road.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’

To provide help for them

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