Who Made Man's Mouth: Recontextualizing Disability as an Ordinary, Every Day, Purpose Driven Life
 |
Who Made Man's Mouth:
Recontextualizing Disability as an Ordinary, Every Day, Purpose Driven Life
"I want to live in a world where we value genuine achievement for disabled people, and I want to live in a world where a kid in year 11 at a Melbourne high school is not one bit surprised that his new teacher is a wheelchair user. Disability does not make you exceptional, but questioning what you think you know about it does."
-Stella Young, TEDxSidney 2014
When you realize that perhaps you've been misunderstanding a core tenant of yourself for a better part of your life, you begin to deconstruct the factors that brought you to that realization. Now, before we start this journey I want to say that I am not a theologian nor am I trying to be one. This endeavor is as much a journey of discovery for me as it is for you. It is a recontextualization of an often misunderstood aspect of the human story. More precisely, I hope this becomes a conversation. A conversation that, I and many disabled people fail to get, because of split-second glances and misconceptions.
When that is your main point of contact with strangers on a daily basis, you become one of two things, an object to mourn or a means of unmerited inspiration. It is fine if I inspire you, but if I inspire you just because I'm living my life, then I may disappoint you, my life is just like yours. I just have to live it differently then you do. Though isn't that true for everybody? Nobody is exactly the same.
Disability, is a bad word. In modern parlance. This particular utterance is synonymous with pain suffering and pity, for all intents and purposes this word is something that you never want to hear. Though, what if I were to tell you that disability is not so horrific. What if I were to tell you that this misunderstood word is what gave you the ability to text your friends, learn a new with closed captioning and easily push a stroller onto the sidewalk using curb cuts. Disability is just a different way of life, a different way of encountering the world. Though that world is the same one you interact with. I may have Cerebral Palsy but that does not mean that I am suffering in this body. For sure, I have different challenges and needs then you do, though my body is not less than yours, it just different. Disability is not a bad word nor is it something to be feared. Here's the truth, it never was.
"But Moses said to the Lord, O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. Then the Lord said to him, Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them deaf or mute, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?"
-Exodus 4:10-11
(NRSV-CE)
"Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, what of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; I will be with your mouth and his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do."
-Exodus 4:14-15
(NRSV-CE)
We may know the story of Moses, he was sent by God to set his People free from slavery. Though we often forget that Moses had a speech impediment, a difficulty that by all accounts God did not take away. Instead Moses used his brother Aaron to speak for him. Yet Moses was the one that God sent to Pharaoh to implore him to let his People go. Does this alteration in the conveyance of God's message lessen its impact? No. It is here ladies and gentlemen, that I believe we witness one of the first historical uses of a mobility device. Aaron allows Moses to accomplish his mission, to live his life in the most dynamic way possible. Without losing his speech impediment Moses lives his life to the full.
As my mind often does it connects these thoughts to film, and it is fascinating that in all the multimedia portrayals of Moses, at least that I have seen, his speech impediment is surreptitiously erased. Though God himself did not see the need to do the same. Moses was enough, he did not need to be changed in order to accomplish what God asked him to.
In the incident with the burning bush we witness God remind Moses of his dignity as a human being no matter his challenges. Again, we are seemingly granted another historical first. the birth of a psychological coping method. In confronting Pharaoh God allows Moses to come to terms with his disability. He does not take it away. We are all given choices and we are all given challenges. Though it is in how we decide to confront those challenges that helps us see who we really are, and who we can become.
This is all very intriguing stuff I hear you say, however this seems to contradict all Jesus's miracles in the New Testament, and you're right, it does seem to contradict our perception of those miracles. Though, what if I were to tell you that all of those miracles can be seen as examples of the strength of disability rather than their erasure.
"When Jesus had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him; and there was a leper who came to him and knelt before him, saying, Lord if you choose, you can make me clean. He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying I do choose. Be made clean! Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Then Jesus said to him, see that you say nothing to anyone; but show yourself to the priests, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a as a testimony to them."
-Matthew 8:1-4
(NRSV-CE)
"When he entered Capernaum a centurion came to him appealing to him and saying, Lord my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible distress. And he said to him, I will come and cure him. The centurion answered, Lord I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only speak the word, and my servant will be healed."
-Matthew 8:5-8
(NRSV-CE)
"And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, take heart, son; your sins are forgiven. Then some of the scribes said to themselves, this man is a blasphemer. But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts said, why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say your sins are forgiven or to say stand up and walk? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins-he then said to the paralytic-stand up and take your bed and go to your home."
-Matthew 9:2-6
(NRSV-CE)
"As he walked along he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work."
-John:1-5
(NRSV-CE)
In all of these instances the disability or imperfection, in the case of the leper, is separate from the reason for the healing. Take for instance Matthew 9:2-6 Jesus does not, at first tell the paralytic to get up and walk, he tells him that "your sins are forgiven.". The crowd though, cannot accept this. So to emphasize his ability to forgive sins Jesus ads on the walking as a bonus. This equally miraculous addition however, is not a result of the man's lacking physical prowess or need to be healed. Instead, it is a pointed challenge to those who said that Jesus did not have the power to forgive sins.
We see this same dynamic in the miracle with the centurion. His servant is not healed because of his paralytic body, but because he is in "terrible distress". They are two distinct aspects of the situation. As with other paralytic miracle in Matthew, the perception of the crowd is essential to Jesus's thought process. The crowd knows that the centurion is a Gentile, and therefore unworthy of Jesus's attention. Though, as we have seen the crowd has the wrong idea and Jesus uses this opportunity to show the truth of his mission. A mission to save all the world from sin. Therefore, he is more than willing to do what the centurion asks of him.
Surely, I hear you asking, surely the man with leprosy was healed because he had leprosy. I would say yes, you are right the man is healed of leprosy because he asked. However, there is more to this story. As Matthew so often loves to do he shows us this miracle to expound on Jesus's ability to forgive sins. Those sins however, have nothing to do with the leprosy itself. So, it all returns to the forgiveness of sins. Though leprosy is an infectious disease, and not a disability, it does convey the lack of accessibility during this time. Jesus completely understands this dilemma, and the lack of cultural acceptance of disability, hence the need for the healings. These miracles then, convey something, a need for accessibility, in a world that cannot and does not accept the disabled body.
To put a stamp on the dignity of disability, let's turn to the Gospel of John. It is so delightful how the writer of John plays with our expectations when it comes to the story of the man blind from birth. Clearly, Jesus is having a fun time with this one as well. He tells his disciples that disability is not a result of sin, but a meaningful and purposeful encounter with the world. The way John describes the blind man's dignity is deeply meaningful and, in a way delightfully humorous. The message of the miracle encompasses the whole human race not just those with disabilities. We all must be revealer's of the works of God, and do "the works of him who sent me." Disability or not, we must live our lives to the full, because God deems it so.
The Gospel of John grants us full circle, and surprise, surprise accessibility strikes again. In all seriousness, the Gospel of John is a dynamic expression of ancient dictation. Now, I've no way of verifying that this particular gospel was dictated. However, it is a reasonable assumption given that John was a fisherman, and in that time few could express themselves through writing, at least as fluently as would be needed to write a gospel of that type. Though the skills of the scribe were certainly available to him. So, accessibility enters the fray once again.
Disability is not bad word. For sure, it makes my life look different. I cannot walk, and I am a wheelchair user. My Cerebral Palsy also affects my fine motor skills and comprehension and typing speed. To compensate I use dictation software when I am writing long form like this. Using these tools doesn't make me less or incapable. These tools allow me to fully engage with life, enriching who I am as a son of God. Yes, in the end my disability still remains, but that is more than okay. This is how God made me, and who I am supposed to be. I can also confidently assure you, that I and countless others in the disability community are not suffering because of our disability. God doesn't think we are either.
So, next time you encounter someone with a disability don't turn your kids away. I'm sure most of us would love to chat. To tell you how our disabilities allow us to live a full and meaningful life. They may also just want to chat, disabled is not all we are. These are some of the stories they may tell you...
Recommendations
I of course do not agree with everything that is said in these recommendations. I am not these people. Their stories are their own. Though these stories, nonfiction and fiction alike are meaningful representations of disability in all its varied forms. These true to life experiences resonate with me, not because they demonstrate supernatural fortitude or resilience, (disability is not a super power) but because these stories show the every day lived experience of disability. That is to say, they show life being lived.
All books on this list are available in audio form on audible.com or in print wherever books are sold.
Blind/Deaf
Books
Nonfiction
It's Not What It Looks like
by Molly Burke
Her YouTube channel is Molly Burke:
https://www.youtube.com/@MollyBurkeOfficial
Being Seen One Deafblind Woman's Fight to End Ableism
by Elsa Sjunneson
Fiction films
Coda is the 2021 Best Picture Academy Award Winner
it is available to stream on Apple TV Plus with a subscription
Rated PG-13 for strong sexual content and language, and drug use
Physical Disabilities
Nonfiction Books
Strangers Assume My Girlfriend is My Nurse
by Shane Burcaw
Interabled; True Stories About Love and Disability
by Shane and Hannah Burcaw
Releasing on January 14, 2025
Shane and Hannah's YouTube channel is Squirmy and Grubs: https://www.youtube.com/@SquirmyandGrubs
Sitting Pretty: The View from my Ordinary, Resilient Disabled Body
by Rebkah Taussig
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of A Disability Rights Activist
by Judith Heumann
Life without Limits
by Nick Vujick
Love without Limits
by
Nick Vujick with Kanae Vujick
Fiction Books
For Younger Readers (Middle-School and and up)
Out Of My Mind, Out Of My Heart and Out Of My Dreams.
The Out Of My Mind Trilogy by Sharon M Draper
Fiction Films/TV Shows
Out Of My Mind is available to stream on Disney Plus with a subscription
Rated PG for strong thematic elements
Friday Lights TV Series 2006-2011
Rated TV-14 for language and sexual situations throughout its five seasons
Friday Lights, the TV Series can be purchased on any digital video streaming service such as Amazon Prime. It is also available physically on DVD and Blu-ray disc
Nonfiction Films
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
Rated R for some language including sexual references
Crip Camp is available to stream on Netflix with a subscription
Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin is available to stream on Netflix with a subscription and
Other YouTubers I follow
EmpoweredPara
YouTube channel: and https://www.youtube.com/@EmpoweredPara
she usually does really fun day in the life
Para Tara
Her YouTube channel is: https://www.youtube.com/@ParaTara/shorts
she usually does really great engaging short form videos
Learning Disabilities
Down syndrome/Autism
Nonfiction Book
1% Better Reaching My Full Potential and How You Can Too
by Chris Nikic and Nik Nikic
Fiction Films/TV Shows
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language throughout, some violence and smoking
The Peanut Butter Falcon is available to stream on Netflix with a subscription. You can also purchase it on any digital video streaming service such as Amazon Prime Video. It is also available physically on DVD and Blu-ray disc.
Parenthood TV Series 2010-2015
Rated TV PG- TV-14 for strong thematic content and language through all five seasons
to stream on Hulu with a subscription and Disney plus with a dual Hulu subscription. It is available to purchase digitally on any digital video streaming service, such as Amazon Prime Video. It is also available physically on DVD and Blu-ray disc.
Stella Young's Ted Talk
Comments
Post a Comment