On "invisible" people · 9:24pm Oct 25th, 2021

By "invisible," I of course don't mean physically transparent or anything like that. I mean the people that aren't noticed, or that some actually take steps to ignore. People like the homeless in your community; the guy standing in a parking lot with a cardboard sign asking for help; the struggling single mother who has serious problems making ends meet; the person at work who is stressed out and whom no one seems to want to acknowledge, let alone help; the booze or drug addict; the people who have to choose between using their hard-earned money for food or for paying rent... all these are the "invisibles" that we ignore on a daily basis, whether subconsciously or deliberately.

I listened to church via YouTube yesterday. In it, the pastor related a story on NPR that somehow became news; the national shortage of Halloween costumes. Somehow, this made national news, but the needy and uncared-for among us are just ignored. A mom complaining that she can't find a Rey costume for her child is somehow given more attention than millions who have much more basic and deep needs that are mostly or entirely unmet. As the pastor said, why are cheap costumes that people can buy online, or in stores, for a holiday that will contribute to the diabetes and obesity problem, national news?

We need to be willing to see those we either don't see or, prior to now, unwilling to see. Christ was willing to aid countless unnamed people, including a blind man who was only referred to by his father's name (Bartimaeus, or son of [Bar] Timaeus, Mark 10:46-52) . As the pastor said, most people were annoyed with this blind and needy man calling on Jesus for help; Jesus, however, commanded that the man be brought to Him, and healed him regardless of what the crowd thought. For most of them (and, a very scary thought, perhaps all of them), Bartimaeus was just another blind beggar sitting by the side of the road asking for money to get by; Jesus saw a man in need, and gave him his sight. Ironically, the crowd, who could physically see, were blind to this man's needs, while Bartimaeus, who was physically blind, was able to see that Jesus could do what no one else could.

We should all follow Christ's example. Jesus was willing to help needy people and care compassionately for those whom society had discarded mentally (and probably physically as well). We should try to follow this example, and help those who are helpless. Let us show Christ-like love to those who may never have known it before.

Thank you for reading. May Jesus Christ save you all, and guide, protect, and watch over you.

Report Fireheart 1945 · 156 views ·

Comments ( 2 )