“Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see? Oh does anybody
even know she’s going down today? Under the shadow of our steeple with all the
lost and lonely people searching for the hope that’s tucked away in you and me.
Does anybody hear her? Can anybody see?”
I sometimes find myself so wrapped up in what is going on in
my own life that I forget to take the time to look around me and notice what is
going on in the lives of others whether I know them or not. I listened to a
sermon back in September that talks about how often we are so focused on where WE are going that we don’t stop to
see/help the people GOD has placed in
our path. We miss opportunities to talk to them, ask them their names, or see
if they simply need prayer.
Sometimes I think we believe we aren’t equipped to get
involved or serve others. We leave the “evangelism” to others because we feel
inadequate. I certainly have felt this way. What I have learned over the years,
however, is that the simple act of saying hello or asking the cashier how her
day is going can mean a lot. I get it in my head that God wants big and bold
gestures and while that may be true, He also works in the small things. We
don’t have to be over the top in your face Christians to show others the love
of Jesus.
I experienced this when I was in Africa last January. My
team and I had just left one orphanage where it was clear the kids were loved
by the staff and, for the most part, had access to food and education. We were
in awe of how much the kids loved Jesus despite their stories and it was so
easy to sit and talk with them. 24 hours later we were ushered into a
Children’s prison. The kids in the first center were in there for various
reasons ranging from suspected murder to not properly greeting a relative. We
learned there was a large culture of abandonment and most often it was as if
these kids were “thrown away” when they were no longer of use to their parents.
Any slip up led to them being thrown into one of these centers. I know for sure
that I was nervous entering this situation. I had no idea what I could say or
do to improve their situation. As the morning progressed, however, I realized
that they just wanted someone to see them. They most likely knew that we weren’t
there to fix anything, but it was enough that we came and played soccer with
them. I watched girls’ faces light up as we painted their nails and laughed
with them. I watched boys delight in teaching some of the team to play the
drums. It was a good day because someone took the time simply to say, “We are
here and we love you. We See You.”
It is my goal to take the time to see people around me. I
want to show love even if it is as simple as saying, “How is your day today?”
It doesn’t have to be as complicated as we try to make it. People just want to
be seen.
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