God's Cure: Devotions From Time of Graceনমুনা

Do disabilities disable faith?

A "Time of Grace" viewer asks, “What about those who are unable to comprehend God’s salvation due to intelligence deficiency?” I understand the question. The Christian faith is deep and complex and demands great wisdom and mental sharpness to grasp it. But at the end we will not be judged on the basis of how much we know or understand, but on this alone--are we connected to Christ?

Religious snobs have always looked down on little children and the disabled as though they couldn’t believe, as though faith were impossible for them. In fact, St. Paul reminded Timothy that he had known the Scripture’s message from infancy.

Jesus told his disciples on several occasions that not only could little ones believe but that adults needed to model their faith on that of children. He said once, “See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:10,11).

Any time faith is created in a person through Word and washing (Baptism), it is a miracle. It may be that the Spirit has an easier time with a disabled person than a college professor.