My best friend and the waitress both had tears in their eyes. What’s going on? I wondered as I approached the table.

I took my seat, they smiled at me, then our waitress made a polite, but quick exit.

“Her sister’s a mess and her mom has cancer. She’s doing her best to be the rock for them both. I told her we’d pray for her,” my friend explained, as she wiped her tears. “You just never know what people are going though unless you ask.”

Our conversation started to shift to the comings and goings of our own lives, but it didn’t. Not then.

Instead, my friend continued, “It’s so easy to see people, but not see people. I’ve been really trying to see people lately. I feel like it’s what God is telling me to do in this season of my life.”

I think my friend is right. I think it’s what God is telling all of us.

Have you ever considered how often Jesus paid ridiculous attention to people? Why would God incarnate pay attention to people, when really, people should pay attention to Him?

Love.

When Jesus saw people, He saw people.

Being seen makes people feel cared for, and being cared for makes people feel loved.

And here’s the deal: No one feels loved who doesn’t also feel seen.

[bctt tweet=”No one feels loved who doesn’t also feel seen.” username=”@donnajonesspeak”]

My friend continued, “it’s hard to know what’s really going on in someone’s life by asking surface questions. It’s takes asking a few second-layer or third-layer questions before most people open up.”

She was right again.

“How are you?” “I’m fine” conversations won’t help us see.

Perhaps that’s one of the reasons Jesus was masterful at asking questions: “What do you want me to do for you?” “Do you want to get well?” “Who do you say that I am?”

Asking a question allows someone to verbalize what’s going on in their head.

Listening to the answer allows us to empathize with what’s going on in their heart.

As I drove away from our lunch I pondered our conversation, and how relevant my friend’s wisdom is for all of us. We live in a broken world, full of hurt and pain. Isolation is killing us, cell phones are controlling us, and division is depressing us. We live among invisible people with invisible pain.

But, we, as the children of God, can do something about it.

We can see, and in doing so, we can love.

Do you have kids? They need to know you see them, so they will know you love them.

Do you have a spouse? He needs to know you see him, so he will know you love him.

Do you have friends? Church family? Neighbors? They need to know you see them so they will know you love them.

Look across the table, or across the fence, or across the cubicle, and see the person God placed in front of you.

God might just have you there to show someone Jesus’ sees them and loves them.

Because He does.

And, by the way….God sees you and loves you, too!

Donna

PS. Donna would LOVE to connect with you on Instagram @donnaajones and @donnajonesspeaker. Find her on Facebook at Donna Jones Speaker & Author. 

Verses to Ponder:

Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:12)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matthew 14:14)

When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. (Matthew 8:14)

When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. (Mark 5:38)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:34)

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” (John 6:5)