The Unseen
Talking recently with a dear friend from long before high school days, I was reminded, again, how rich are long-term friendships. Tom and I touch base a few times each year to get caught up and challenge one another to read our latest favorite book and lament the unrelenting onslaught of age (although my friend was gearing up to run another marathon this past weekend, and he crushed it...stud!).
We got around to things Jesus seems to be teaching us these days, and he shared with me a slice of what his pastor recently taught. She wondered about the "unseen" in our world. Those who any of us can overlook as we go our way. Our conversation veered away from that to other stuff and we rung off after a refreshing visit with an old companion.
But the idea of the "unseen" kept rattling around in my head. Think how many times in the gospels that Jesus sees the unseen:
On his way to heal a girl at the edge of death, a woman presses through the crowd to touch his coat in hopes of healing, and he sees her.
As he passes through a town, a loud blind guy is shushed and pushed by the crowd, but Jesus sees him.
A very short, social outcast climbed a tree to get a better look at the Jesus parade, when he stops, sees him, and calls him down.
When a passel of kids press in to hang with him in spite of adults trying to corral them, and Jesus welcomes them in close.
All of this happened mid-stream in life, unplanned and yet seemingly prepared for. Jesus was the master of capturing a moment, and then moving on. To him, no one was less worthy, littler, unseen. How many times have you had a glimpse of feeling unseen? Remember how it felt? Push the pause button and unearth words to the emotions being overlooked digs up. For many, words like: Hollow, sad, sidelined, less-than come to mind.
Here's a true truth for this Tuesday. Jesus sees you, and opens his arms to welcome you into the circle. It doesn't get much better than when the king of it all turns, notices you, and smiles. And does all that just as you are...not after you clean up your act and appear more respectable, more savable, just more. There is no scrubbing that will make you more likeable to Jesus. That's the point of everyday grace, he sees you with a twinkle in his eye and a welcome on his lips wherever and whoever you are. And we live as distant relatives of his actions.
So Jesus also encourages us to do as he did. Examples of his "seeing" offer a master class for us to audit. What I so often forget is that if I feel unseen, others might as well. A natural question arises, "What can be done to see the unseen?" Here's a bit of what I've been practicing lately, hoping to become habits:
At the grocery store: complimenting the clerk, offering to lift bags or grab something off a high shelf, thanking the produce guy or cart wrangler.
In a church service: sitting with the elderly single, talking with the little one running around, helping whomever set up for an event.
On the street: smiling and making eye contact, thanking the city worker cleaning up, practicing patience with a friendly wave to drivers.
Most likely, you and I won't know if our "seeing" makes any difference to those seen, but it might. It might be that small light a lonely person can use to go on and not give up. Seeing others like this makes deposits of good into overdrawn accounts, and the benefits circle all around. The "seen" are seen and encouraged, while the "see-er" grows in awareness that every person carries the image of God. Rereading this paragraph, I see no downside to following Jesus in this.
So, a challenge: Ask God to give you eyes to see the unseen in your daily routine; then let them know they are seen. It might be a smile or a word or a helping act. I'd love to hear who you saw along the way.
*** Here's my PSA for this most challenging season for many. If you feel unseen and that has led to a dark place in your thinking, please know you are not really alone. Let a trusted friend know. Inform your church, if you attend. Dial 988 for assistance anytime. You are seen by Jesus...talk with him.
And....music!
...and a couple of lame jokes
There were two men shipwrecked on this island. The minute they got on to the island one of them started screaming and yelling, "We're going to die! We're going to die! There's no food! No water! We're going to die!"
The second man was propped up against a palm tree and acting so calmly it drove the first man crazy. "Don't you understand?!? We're going to die!!"
The second man replied, "You don't understand, I make $100,000 a week."
The first man looked at him quite dumbfounded and asked, "What difference does that make?!? We're on an island with no food and no water! We're going to DIE!!!"
The second man answered, "You just don't get it. I make $100,000 a week and I tithe ten percent on that $100,000 a week. My pastor will find me!"
__________
I definitely learned my lesson about speeding today and it will never happen again.
I didn't get pulled over or anything...
I just showed up to work 20 minutes early.