Seeing
“When Jesus saw her…”
Practice Seeing
Ask God to help you see the people and places around you.
Walk around your neighborhood. Look around. What do you see?
Ask God, “Is there anything you want me to see today?”
Ask God, “Is there anything you want me to do in response to what I see?”
Pay attention to what you notice more than one time.
(Is it a person? A piece of litter? A sign? A house?)
Repeat steps 3 and 4.
Get curious. Learn the story. Respond with compassion.
There is a short story about seeing in Luke 7. Jesus was walking with his friends to a town called Nain. Upon their arrival, Jesus sees something that catches his attention. This may not appear unique or profound, but this action reveals something about the way of Jesus. With a closer reading of the Gospels, one will notice the words, “Jesus saw” a lot.
In this story, Jesus sees a funeral procession. He learns the woman is a widow, and now she has lost her child. Jesus had compassion on her and walks towards the funeral procession. He then touches the coffin and the child within bringing the child to life. Jesus then reunites the child with his mother. In this short story Jesus gives an example of what the way of Jesus looks like.
The pattern and practice of seeing for Jesus is: seeing, getting curious, learning the whole story, responding with compassion, moving towards and entering what holds darkness and death, and brings life. And, it all begins with seeing!
To be seen is a deep longing of every human life. Yet, we avoid being seen by driving into garages, keeping the blinds and doors closed, resting- hidden in our backyards. Our efforts are to remain private, or another word, invisible, to the world around us.
Jesus lived a different way. He lived seeing life. What we see, and how we see, matters. If you don’t know where to start in loving your neighbors and neighborhood, ask Jesus to help you see.
