And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)

In verse 36, Matthew tells us that Jesus “saw the crowds.” In the Greek language, “saw” (or horao) means “to pierce with intelligent comprehension”1; “to see” means “to genuinely notice, to perceive, to turn the attention to, to behold, to understand.”2 Jesus purposes to see people; He shows us the crucial distinction between looking and truly seeing. Do we see people through the eyes of Jesus? Do we genuinely notice and seek to understand them? God has given each of us a mission in life, and part of that purpose is “to see” those around us as God sees them.

Why do we often find ourselves closing our eyes at the scary part of the movie or as we reach the peak of a roller coaster? Because once you see something, you cannot unsee it, and once you see it, action is required. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, what did the Samaritan do differently  from the priest and Levite? While they observed the man who had been beaten, the Samaritan genuinely saw him and then acted upon his need. Others rushed by—crossed to the other side of the road—so they did not have to see.

God invites us to join the work He is already doing. The purpose of His mission is for us to reflect the light of the gospel and to glorify Him. To do that, we need to genuinely notice those around us and act through obedience and faith. Micah 6:8 (ESV) says: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?”

May we walk with our eyes wide open, seeing those He has placed around us, and in faithful obedience act upon the purpose He has for each one of us in sharing the gospel and loving our neighbors.

by Trusha Barner, Director of Missions

1 https://www.awordfromtheword.org/saw
2 https://www.quotescosmos.com/bible/bible-verses/Matthew-9-36.html