On Seeing People

God went all out when he created eyes. The complexity and flexibility of the eyes astound. Cameras and other mechanical devices may approximate what the eyes can do, but they cannot begin to compare to the wonder that is the human eye.

There is one major limitation to the human eye. It tends to see only what it is already looking for.  Google Invisible Gorilla.

As a follower of Jesus we must train our eyes to see what Jesus saw, to look for what Jesus did.

Jesus saw people. He saw them and listened. He saw them and spent time. He saw them and had compassion. He saw them and met their needs. He saw them and invited them into his Kingdom.

We get busy and see work that needs to be done. We get busy and see places we want to be. We get busy and see gizmos and gadgets that we would like to have. We end up not seeing the people God created because we become infatuated with some other aspect of Creation.

See people. Look for them.

Everything else you see in this world will pass away. The people you see are eternal beings, all of them. People are what matter. People are what matter to God. People are the ones for whom Jesus died. 

See people. Look for them.

Really notice them. To see people is to see more than the external. To see people is to look past the clothing, to look past the jewelry and tattoos (or lack of), to look past the hair and glasses, to look past the skin tone and facial features. When the Bible speaks about God not showing partiality, the word that gets used literally means “not a face looker.” In order to see people, you must look for the individual within.

Each person you see is someone’s little boy or girl. (My mom always told me that.) Each person has a story. Each person has hopes and dreams, hurts and disappointments.  Each person has the same needs that you do. 

All those people driving down the highway is an “each person.” All those people in the line ahead of you is an “each person.” All those people jammed into a stadium is an “each person.” All of those people gathered around your dinner table is an “each person.”

See people. Look for them.

In the congregation see the kids and teens and engage them. In the congregation see the seniors and visit with them. In the congregation see the newcomers and greet them. In the congregation see those who are missing and search them out.

See people. Look for them.

When you see them, listen. When you see them, spend time. When you see them, have compassion. When you see them, meet their needs. When you see them, invite them into his Kingdom.