“When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’” — John 5:6
“And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.’” — John 9:2-3
Good news! The word of God is living and active!
More than mere words on a page or the tales we tell for our own sake, the Word is forever the beating heart that bears all our joy and suffering. The very breath that animated us from clay still breathes in us a desire for things everlasting in our modern day to-day. The light of the beginning, the same light that gave sight to the blind and strength to the lame in Jerusalem, continues to shine today – even in our moments of sickness.
Two stories of sickness caught my eye this past week, one the beating heart of John 5, the other the light of John 9. One sickness born of sin, the other to manifest the works of God. One, the struggle of a man who doesn’t know if he wants to be healed, the other, the trial of a boy seeking a cure against all odds, not simply for his own sake, but in hope for those he loves most and for all who may suffer his fate.
By worldly standards, you would think Theo Von has it made – wealth, fame, the love of fans, and the company of stars from entertainment to politics – that the comedian has a truly wonderful and blessed life. I mean, what fella wouldn’t want to sing “you look like you love me” with Hope Hull’s own Ella Langley live onstage?
Yet, for anyone who has closely followed Von over the years, he remains a tortured soul despite all the laughter and worldly goods surrounding him. In fact, his brokenness has always been part of his charm. His willingness to be honest in public about his life’s struggles has only brought him more love. Many people, especially young men, see the same struggles in Von that they see in themselves.
Yet, what if a man known and loved by millions for being honest about his sickness was offered a chance to be healed? Would he want to be healed?
What if being cured meant losing so much of who you are? What if there is enjoyment even in a toothache, especially when the shared ache is celebrated and becomes a fixture of your identity?
What if sickness born of sin doesn’t want you to be reborn?
Recently, his heart beating with the Word, Von shared this testimony on his podcast:
You know, I’ve been struggling, man. The past couple years, it’s been a struggle.
Sometimes I realized for myself, I would pray to God to help me get away from certain behaviors in my life. But at the same time that I was praying, there would be a part of me that knew I was probably going to do those things again.
And there’s a story called John 5. It’s about a guy who’s at these pools. There’s a sick man there, and he’s been sick for a long time.
And Jesus asks him, ‘Do you want to be healed?’
…
And that’s a crazy question because, you know, if I get healed, then I’m different.
So that’s just been something I’ve been having to ask myself. It’s like, yeah – do I want to be healed? Do I really want something different?
And sometimes, a lot of the answer is no.
I want something different, but I don’t want to – I don’t know if I’m scared of it. I don’t know what I am. I don’t know if I don’t want to do what it takes to get it. I can’t even tell what it is.
It’s hard for me. Some of this stuff’s a little bit hard for me to say. I think I don’t even know why, but I think I want a new story.
Pick up your mat and walk, Theo!
But, as Christ tells the man he heals in John 5, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.”
That said, sickness is not always born of sin.
And as difficult as it may be to believe, some sickness – even terminal cancer – does not lead to death but to God’s glory.
Over the last year, 15-year-old Will Roberts of Ralph has lost half of his leg to a malignant form of bone cancer.
He recently took to his mother’s Facebook page to make a last-ditch plea to the Trump administration to gain access to a drug that may help his battle against the disease.
His plea worked.
Roberts received a call from the Trump team after his video went viral. His family quickly raised over $500,000 to pay for the experimental medication and will soon make the journey for the treatment.
Yet, just read what Roberts said in his plea for help:
Chances are, this is probably the end of the road for me and they probably won't get it in time. But if this can help other kids with cancer, I would love to help in any way I can. But y'all, I'm terrified just like y'all would be if y'all knew that y'all were about to die. The cancer is just increasingly spreading, just spreading, spreading. The cancer's all over my body right now and all in my liver and there's really not much you can do to treat liver cancer. ...
Y'all, my mom, she's just been having sleepless, sleepless, sleepless nights, just nights without any sleep and she's been researching and researching and researching every single night…And y'all, I've called her a couple of times and she was just like bawling, but she wasn't trying to show it.
In the midst of this immense suffering, faced with his own death, Roberts thinks of helping others – pure light shining in darkness.
By his response to his suffering, that 15-year-old has made manifest the works of God. Thinking of others, he suffers with Christ and has spread the good news and light of the living and active Word.
No matter his fate in this valley of tears, Roberts has already been healed in ways everlasting.
Perhaps, those who fear being healed of their sickness of sin should look to the witness of those who did nothing to bring their sickness upon themselves – yet embrace the light in spite of the cross they bear.
Joey Clark is a native Alabamian and is currently the host of the radio program News and Views on News Talk 93.1 FM WACV out of Montgomery, AL, M-F 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. His column appears every Tuesday in 1819 News. To contact Joey for media or speaking appearances, as well as any feedback, please email [email protected]. Follow him on X @TheJoeyClark or watch the radio show livestream.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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