By Amanda Hines
“Hello! It’s so good to see you!”
We hear and say this greeting often when we’re with other people. In fact, you’ve probably already said this, or something like this, to someone today. The phrase offers a warm welcome and opens the door to the start of a conversation.
Whenever I see my good friend Adam, I say, “Hi, Adam! It’s so good to see you!” Instead of the exchange that typically follows — sharing with one another what we did over the weekend, how we are doing overall or what our upcoming week might look like — Adam will say, “Oh, hey, Amanda, it’s so good to be seen.” The first time Adam and I had this interaction, it gave me pause. I hadn’t realized how often I would say “It’s good to see you” to someone as a mere pleasantry. I would habitually give a rehearsed, hurried reply while on my way to the next thing on my mental to-do list. Adam’s response disrupted my normal pattern and allowed me an opportunity to stop and truly see him. And in turn, it gave an invitation for him to fully see me.
It can be challenging for us to stop and fully see. In the midst of busy schedules, full calendars and not to mention the ever-growing to-do lists, sometimes a disruption to our normal can be a good thing. I wonder how often our lives with God might feel like a hurried and rehearsed exchange of pleasantries. I wonder how often we might look past one another instead of taking time to fully see the person in front of us. What would it be like for you to fully notice, to see God and to sit in the comfort that God truly sees all of you?
Throughout worship today, I invite you to pause and fully see. As you pass the peace, may you fully see the image bearer in front of you. As you watch our fifth graders add movement and images to our Scripture passage, may you see this familiar story with fresh and full eyes. In the words of today’s choral anthem, may you see how God is making all things new.
So, settle into your space, take a deeper than normal breath and know that it is so good to see you. And it is so good to be seen.