I See You!

I think we all know the story of the Good Samaritan.

It's found in Luke 10:30-35:

"...Jesus said: A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers.  They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.  Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two silver coins and gave
them to the innkeeper.  "Look after him," he said, "and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have."

So much has been written about this parable. 

There's so much to see in this parable, so much that can speak to us.

 

I want us to see it today from the victim's point of view.

 

I've often wondered if he was conscious and aware of the people just passing him by. 

Did he wonder if anyone actually saw him there? 

Was he awake and just too weak and beaten to call out for help? 

Did he think that even if he did, no-one would help him?

How long did he lay there and did he think as he lay there that he was surely going to die?

 

Have you ever felt like that man?

Have you ever been robbed?

Have you been stripped?

Have you ever felt beaten down?

Have you been left for half-dead?

Have you ever thought as you read this parable, "That's me!"

 

Have you been robbed, stripped, beaten down and left for half dead and felt like no-one even saw you lying there bleeding all over?

 

Were you too afraid to call for help because you knew you couldn't deal with the rejection of no one responding to your cries?

Life often robs us of our dreams, strips us of hope, beats all the joy out of us and we're left feeling rejected, forsaken and half-dead.

Have you ever felt so small and insignificant that you thought no one could possibly see you, let alone care about you?

I have.
I have felt like one little granule of sand on a beach filled with sand for miles and miles. 
I've thought no one can possibly see or pick out that one small, insignificant granule.
And what difference can I possibly make anyway when there are so many other granules out there?

 

 

We're often left to wonder -

 

How can I go on?

Can I muster up enough courage to try again?

Can I really believe His promises?
Can I really make a difference?

 

God says to you today -

 

I see you when no one else does!

I see your pain!

I see your bleeding body!

I see your bruises, your black and blue marks, your scars!

I see your need!
I see that small seemingly insignificant granule of sand.
I see you and I care.

 

Today - I see you!

 

It takes the eyes of Jesus to see the broken and beaten among us.

 

He sees us when no one else does and like the Good Samaritan, He bandages our wounds, pouring in the oil and wine of His love and comfort.  He picks us up, takes us to the "inn" and cares for us.  Then He entrusts us to the care of the "innkeeper."  And this is where it gets tricky - this is when we have to trust in our "neighbor" again.

 

But this is exactly what Jesus' plan was.  We are to care for one another.  We are to see with Jesus' eyes; yes, we are called to actually look for those who need His touch through human hands.

 

For if we are created in His image and called to reflect Him in this world, then we need to be willing to be His eyes, His ears, His hands and His feet to those who need Him!

 

And when we are, then, with wonder, they can know and hear Him say

 

I see you!!