Sarah's Wise Words

“But nobody SEES them make fun of me. No one hears.” My eight-year-old’s complaint about the boys at school who daily antagonize her is a familiar song in our after-school car.

Many days she comes home in tears.

We try to teach her ways to hold her own, to stay confident, to not let their words hurt. But they always do. She always cries.

“No one sees,” she sighs. Defeated. Alone in a classroom full of other kids.

No one sees and so no one truly believes. Her teacher does her best, as does the principal and the playground teachers. But really, it’s the in-the-hall, in-the-lunch-line, and at-the-top-of-the-slide times that matter. No one sees, or hears, the hurtful words that happen every day.

So she feels like no one cares.

But I do. “I believe you, sweetheart. And if I was there, I would pay attention enough to SEE the boys who say things.” I tell her and glance at her in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes look at the floor and her brows meet in a snarl above her nose.

Because it’s all about how much I pay attention. I have personal stock in my own child: I care about her more than any other adult on any campus. They are stretched. They care about all the children, but to pay close PERSONAL attention to each one at all times is impossible.

I understand that.

But…

We serve a God who sees.

He intimately sees my daughter’s distress when no other person does. He sees the hearts of the little boys who feel the need to provoke and hurt. He hears each of their thoughts and knows their fears.

And He also sees, when no one else does, the impoverished, the weary. He knows each child who is malnourished, each that are sick. He comes alongside with divine compassion to the dying and holds the hands of those who’ve been forgotten by the rest of us.

He sees the son who’s father has left.
He sees the daughter who’s mother abuses.
He holds their tears in His hand.

He sees behind the bitterness and pain and notices the heart of the woman who won’t let anyone love her, anyone close to her.

He understands her.

He understands the man who feels like he’s failing to provide for his family. He knows his hurt and fear as if it was His own.

And the God Who Sees also pays close attention to me. To my day and to my hours.

He walks close by, seeing me when I am unseen.

Genesis 16:13
“You are the God who sees me,” for {Hagar} said “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

He sees and because of that we can see Him.

by Sarah Markley