Look!

Scripture: Luke 9:37-38

On the next day (after Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John) when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.

Reflection:

A nameless father shouts out from the great crowd of people and becomes a humanized before Jesus. He asks Jesus to “look” at his only son. That is, the unnamed father in the crowd cries out for Jesus’ attention. He asks Jesus to focus his attention, commit his particular regard, favorably view, grant preferred notice, and to carefully examine his only and anguished son. The father trusts that if Jesus would only fix his attention on his tormented son, Jesus would be moved to mercy, compassion, and action and he does. Jesus heals the boy and returns him back to his father, evoking astonishment or shock from the crowd at the greatness of God (Lk. 9:43a).

Perhaps the astonishment or shock among the crowd at the greatness of God has to do more with how God in Christ, from among so many people with many needs and concerns, cares for one nameless hurting father and his tormented son.

We tend to think of greatness as an accomplishment of things on a grand scale. The greater the level of accomplishment, the grander the greatness of a person or organization. Could it be that the greatness of God starts with the mercy, compassion, and goodness we apply in Christ’s name to the nameless ones that come to us seeking help, mercy, and compassion?

Prayer from Brandon Smith’s song lyrics, Give Me Your Eyes

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see,
Everything that I keep missing,
Give your love for humanity.
Give me your arms for the broken-hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten.
Give me Your eyes so I can see. Amen.

Action for the week

Look – focus your attention, give special regard, favorably view, give preferred notice, carefully examine – at someone you normally look past and do something for them that conveys that God sees and cares for them through you.