Rakesh lives on the street in Bandra, one of the most affluent suburbs of Mumbai city. Due to family problems he became a chronic alcoholic. His condition deteriorated to the point of him not eating or even looking after himself. He eventually developed an infection in his mouth which, due to neglect, created a hole in his chin through which you could see his jawbone. He was unable to even drink water as the water would spill out from the side of his mouth. His wound got infected with maggots and he was on the verge of death. He lived on the pavement just behind a pillar the other side of which was the ever busy Mumbai highway. He must have been seen many times over by the countless people who commuted there. Unfortunately though he was “seen” he was really “unseen” until members of our team lifted the sheet covering him and discovered his rotting body beneath it. We rushed him to a hospital where doctors gave him preliminary care and resuscitated him. The doctors surgically removed 1,500 maggots from his wound. Had he gone unnoticed for a few more hours all we would have recovered would have been his lifeless body. Today he is alive and has had a facial reconstruction surgery and has a second chance at life.

What is the difference between seeing and really seeing? The book of Exodus chapter 3 verse 7 tells us that God says to Moses “I have surely seen the oppression of my people in Egypt and I know their sorrows.” Every one has the right to be seen. Jesus while on earth really saw people. He saw them as they were and felt their pain. We label people based on so many things but Jesus saw them as the lost, hungry, hurting and needing rest. He said they were like ’sheep without a shepherd’. The world today is filled with so many such people. Are they really being seen? Once they are seen their lives are forever changed since things can be done to change their situation and better their lives.

Coming back to the passage in Exodus, God told Moses to go and deliver his people. When Moses saw what God saw, he understood God’s perspective and he was willing to be the answer to a pressing problem. He was ready to be God s hand and feet thus surrendering to being used by God who then led him to liberate the Israelites and lead them into the promised land.

Who are the people in your world who need to be seen? Is it that quiet co-worker, a fellow carpooler or that security guard who no one has time to make conversation with? You see them everyday but do they really feel seen?? Hagar when in the desert running away from Sarah calls on God to provide water for herself and her son. On receiving an answer to her prayer she gave this name to God El Roi, The God who sees! That is the God we have! You are seen by Him, he understands you and knows what you are going through. But that’s not all, he wants us to look around with His eyes. Can we today see like Jesus did? If we see with his eyes he can use us to do amazing things for him in the lives of those around us.

Biju