The church often has a shorthand for the times when Jesus gives sight or removes leprosy from someone. We tend to call these “healing stories”. It is a generous, if not ableist term. Some of these involve people who are not broken or sick, so Jesus isn’t “fixing” them. Our lumping all of it together is therefore less than generous — just easy. While some seek to account for this by highlight the difference in the stories, I want to speak to our bigger picture pursuit.
Jesus, however, is driven by a theology of Shalom. Which is a big word for peace, equity, justice, health, and wholeness. It involves restoration and fullness. While most of our rhetoric around disability revolve around accuracy and personal rights, the gospel is focused on demonstrating what wholeness looks like. It isn’t about “fixing” or labeling individuals but ensuring they’re free, healthy, and whole. And Jesus keeps inviting us to see new ways we’ve let others fall through the cracks.