I read a blog from Junius Dotson,
the United Methodist Secretary for Discipleship Ministries, and he wrote:
“In Johannesburg, South Africa, I
learned a greeting called “Sawabona.” It translates to something like “I see
you,” or “We see you.” The traditional response is “Yebo, sawabona,” which
means “Yes, I see you, too.”
Something I found very interesting
– and very heartwarming – about this greeting is that it says, in effect, that
I acknowledge your presence. I recognize the dignity of your existence. You are
not overlooked. You are not ignored.”[i]
That reminded me of a story from the
Bible. In Genesis chapter 16, we are told that a servant-girl named Hagaar had
ran away from her master Abraham and his
wife Sarah. Hagaar had given Abraham a son, but Sarah, Abraham’s wife, became
very bitter and mean toward Hagaar (even though it was Sarah’s idea to have her
husband have sex with Hagaar). While Hagaar was pregnant, she couldn’t take it
anymore, and ran off alone into the desert.
Let me just say here that was messed up! I
hear people say how awful our society is today, and how far we have fallen
morally, and while I agree there is a great gulf between the “world” and the
things of God, there has been since Genesis chapter 3. Some of the stories in
the Old Testament are atrocious as to why people did what they did, much like
today. I don’t necessarily think that things are all that much worse, but they
are differently bad.
So, back to the story. Hagaar sat
down beside a spring in the wilderness. She was alone. She was tired. She was
helpless. She had no hope. Then an angel from God showed up and gave her
encouragement, and proclaimed a future for her and for her son.
The part I find most interesting is
Genesis 16:13,
“Hagaar used another name to refer to the
Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, ‘You are
the God who sees me’.”
In the United Methodist church
where I serve as pastor we have begun a 2019 worship series from Discipleship
Ministries entitled, “See all the People”. The basis of this series comes from
the children’s rhyme, “this is the church, this is the steeple, open the doors
and see all the people”. Fittingly, our
UMC slogan is “Open hearts. Open doors. Open minds”.
Yesterday I got to play peek-a-boo
with a friend’s grandson. His name is Josiah. Josiah loves to be held by one
person, while another person is hiding behind their back, says his name, “Josiah,
Josiah”, and then pops up in front of him with a “peek-a-boo, I see you”. It made him laugh, so that was fun. But it
reminded me of this basic instinct that we all have from a very young age to be
known by name, and to really be seen.
There are people who desperately
need to know that they are seen. There
are people in our church buildings who come in every Sunday and sit on the
pews, but need to know they are seen. There are cashiers who scan your
groceries, servers who bring your food to your table, even strangers standing
in line at the bank, who need to know that they are seen.
There are homeless and hurting
people who feel invisible to the society around them, a society that they don’t
even feel that they are a part of. There are hurting and broken people who feel
ashamed to show others who they really are, for fear that being really seen
would mean to be rejected. There are wives in abusive relationships who just
want to be seen.
There are young children, both boys
and girls, suffering the atrocities of human slavery.
And God sees them.
And we are called to see them to
too!
#Allthepeople
Hagaar named the place where the
angel came to her Beer-lahai-roi, which means “the well of the living One who
sees me”.
El-roi means the God who sees you.
In whatever place you find yourself
today, there is hope. You are not alone.
Sawabona, my friend. I see you. And
God sees you.
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