Do you have a desire to be seen?
Don’t you want to be seen and heard by your family, friends and coworkers?
Have you ever thought, if I don’t come home no one would miss me? Or if I don't answer this phone or text how long before they send it to the police?
I sat at the table with 7 widows for lunch a couple of weeks ago and had just the best time. They kept saying things like “aren’t us old ladies so boring” or “are you hoping you don’t end up like us one day” and I constantly without missing a breath would say, “Nope, I hope I am able to do exactly this. To sit at table with friends and share in life when I am your age.”
At one point I asked the lady across from me how she lost her husband. It was a tearjerker and as she finished her story, another sweet lady shared her journey with the same outcome. Each one sharing bit and pieces of their own blanket of grief that tied them all together in their friendship.
They shared big details and little details of their encounters in losing their partner, friend for life and lover. All of them shared those last moments of their husbands moving from this world to the presence of God. One shared her regrets on the path and the other one shared how she will still turn her head and start talking to his chair forgetting that he is not there.
Yes we all had tears in our eyes. Interestingly though, as they shared tear jerking moments they would quite easily invite us into those hilarious moments that made us laugh. It was such a precious precious time. Before we all departed one lady looked at me and said “Thank you for asking. No one seems interested in our story.”
We all want to be seen no matter if you are single, divorced, widowed or married.
We all need to be seen and heard.
One thing I am convinced of in the bible is Jesus, our Savior, saw women as He created us before the fall. He does not see us as second class citizens. He did not come down and see us as the ones that offered the apple to Adam. Galatians 1:3 says that we are all His children. He came to abolish that idea that women could not be seen or heard no matter if that text speaks to you about salvation or class. His example of how to love all was perfect and a great example to follow.
I think of Martha and Mary in the Bible often in this context of being seen by Jesus.
Yes, I identify as Martha.
I am a doer. I get caught in things that don’t matter. I can get all in a tizzy if we don’t have enough ice in the cooler for the kids and their friends. Let’s be honest, kids don’t give a rip about ice when they are thirsty, but for me at that moment it matters. I am trying to let go of those goofy things.
And if I am honest, if Jesus came over, I don’t know if I would sit at his feet and listen. I might be more inclined to be thinking about the secondary issues than to sit, listen, learn and be taught. My tendency might be to prepare for what comes next, like plating the meat for the meal that is going to be served after His teaching. I will be making sure the beverage area is ready to go and the dessert table has napkins and forks.
Am I jealous of Mary and her ability to sit and not worry about the things that will happen after this, maybe? At times.
But one thing I hold on too is that Jesus did not reprimand Martha for her actions. He called her out for her heart issue. She could have very well been doing all her things and still learning. Still functioning in her skill set but because her heart became anxious and troubled about many things, she allowed it to get in the way of learning while doing.
Jesus saw her! She was seen by Him in her flesh!
Jesus saw her heart!
Jesus saw where she was at and in that moment. He never said, stop and come sit with Mary. He said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” He is saying, Martha when the Word is taught, listen! All else is secondary. #hedroppedthemic
There is another story that I was reminded of today who wants so badly to be seen and heard but due to her bleeding for 12 years she can’t. (Matt 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, Luke 8:43-48)
YES! 12 YEARS this woman is hemorrhaging. No one knows what the problem is.
This means for 12 years she is unclean and impure, no one can come near her, she is pretty much a walking dirty apron all the time. Just the idea of her roaming around a large crowd is frowned upon. But faith is driving her, giving her tunnel vision to see the only one that knows her situation. Her confidence that Jesus can heal her supersedes her ability to care about the societal standards of her impure state.
Jesus healed her before he saw her, “Someone has touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.”
The woman is trembling and in an honest and vulnerable state proclaims her faith in Jesus, the Messiah, publicly. She recognizes His power is what healed her instantly.
This is the best part of the story!
Jesus, in His tender, kind and loving way sees her. He does not call her “woman” like he did to his mom. He acknowledges her with a term of endearment, “Daughter.” Just writing this makes me teary eyed.
Jesus says to her, “Daughter your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
Daughter = Beloved One = One who I will give my life for = One who I unconditionally love and have no desire for you to walk around in pain for the next 12 years = Beloved I see you even when you did not think I saw you.
Her Heavenly Father healed her because of her faith.
We have all felt like both Martha and the hemorrhaging woman. We may not feel seen by a husband, family, friends, co-workers, etc…but God sees you.
We see this over and over again in the Gospels. Jesus sees His people’s faith. He does not cancel them based on their gender, skin color, socio economic background.
And He sees your heart, whether it is anxious and troubled because of life situations or maybe you feel like you are hemorrhaging because of things you can’t control. Jesus sees and knows your heart. Keep your hope in Jesus sisters.
As we wrapped up lunch with those seven sweet widows, they reminded me that some days hope is hard to find but faith is what we have to cling too. They found joy and laughter after their long season of loss and guess what? God brought them through it and they love each other and love to lunch.
Let’s cling to Jesus!