“You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:14)
Blind people are naturally helpless in many ways, especially so in societies with limited medical services and a lack of auxiliaries. This is why many blind people described in the Bible are sitting by the roadside or at the temple gate to beg for money. Moreover, the blind are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. In Roman society, for example, the disabled
were considered inferior and parents were free to (or even forced to) abandon their disabled children.
God’s view is completely different. The first five books of the Bible contain a lot of laws for the people of Israel. Besides religious laws, God gives them a comprehensive set of standards for social relationships. He wants the Israelites to protect those who are more vulnerable in society: foreigners, widows, orphans, and those with disabilities, for example.
Leviticus 19:14 is about the deaf and the blind. God says you should not harass them by taking advantage of their disability to hear and see. This commandment is immediately connected to “fearing your God”. You can’t exploit the vulnerable while having a personal relationship with the Lord!
How does your society treat physically disabled people? Are they valued, protected and loved just as everyone else?