As she walked through the door of the church, I handed her a ticket and said, ” it’s so nice to see you”, or something like that.
“It’s so nice to be seen.” I thought I heard her say. I asked her to repeat herself, leaned in closer and clearly heard, “It’s so nice to be seen.”
She appeared in her fifties, but on closer inspection, I realized it was more like thirties or maybe forties. Wearing a slightly torn, gray sweater, baggy jeans, and holy gloves, she took her meal ticket.
I was downtown serving an early Christmas meal to the homeless with my family. My job that day was handing out meal tickets and tracking the number of people coming in on a wall chart. As I worked and greeted, my eyes kept floating over to where this woman sat.
What must it be like living as an unseen, homeless woman? Grateful to be seen, if only for a moment? Her weathered face told the story of a life roughly lived.
God used her words to prick my heart that day.
What does it mean to truly see others? More than just acknowledging another’s physical presence on the planet, but recognizing their humanity and value to God.
How do we look after those whom God sees but society sometimes doesn’t?
Could it be the checker in Wal-Mart? Or possibly the panhandler in the parking lot getting chased away? How about the pesky student in your classroom? Is it the neighbor who talks and talks? Maybe.
I am guilty of rushing through my day without asking God whom He wants me to see.
I am also inclined to forget that the Lord sees me too. He delights in me and knows me through and through. I matter.
In Genesis 16:13 Hagar referred to God as El Roi, meaning “The God Who Sees Me“. He sees you friend. You matter to God.
El Roi knitted you together fearfully and wonderfully in your mother’s womb (see Psalm 139:14).
I find deep comfort in knowing that God loves and sees me, don’t you? He created within us a deep need to know we matter.
There is comfort in this and a calling. A calling to truly notice those whom the Lord places in our path. To begin the day by asking Him to show us who – who needs to know today that they matter to God?
Show me Lord, who needs a touch of You? Who needs a warm smile or eye contact? A friend who needs prayer? One who needs to hear the truth of God’s word?
Dear Lord,
We are eternally grateful to be seen by You, the Creator of the Universe! What comfort we gain by this truth. Help us to see others who are hurting today. Slow us down and lead us to those feeling unseen or unloved, needing encouragement. We say to you Lord, “It’s so nice to be seen”.
Amen.
