Rooted in Grace

THE GIFT OF BEING SEEN

Many of you have read the book, Theo of Golden. One of the gifts Theo offers the other characters in the book is the gift of being recognized. After purchasing their portraits on the wall of the coffee shop, he bestows these works of art to the people whose image has been drawn. In these meetings Theo tells the people what he sees in them - their qualities, their gifts, even their sadness. It is interesting to notice how the gift of being recognized transforms them.

Sometimes being seen, especially through the eyes of another's loving kindness, can help us to see ourselves with more care and confidence.

This week the miracle stories continue in the Gospel of Matthew. We move from the feeding of the "more than" 5,000 to the miracle of Jesus walking on water. The disciples are in a boat being battered by wind and waves. Jesus comes toward them, but they do not recognize him!

They think that the one walking on water is a ghost. Perhaps the unsettled waters and wind along with the distance from shore robbed them of their imagination. They couldn't imagine Jesus coming to their help because they were anxious and worried. As fear often does, it clouded their vision and dimmed their hope. They did not recognize Jesus, their leader, their teacher, their friend. In their stress they made something up about seeing a ghost.

How quickly they had forgotten what had happened in the presence of Jesus the day before! Not only had Jesus healed the sick, thousands of them, but he had fed the multitudes with nothing but a couple of fish and five loaves of bread. It had been day of miracles after miracles!

We can't blame them, because much of the time, we don't recognize the presence of the divine when it is in our midst. We get caught up in our fears far more easily than we remember the blessings and security we have in Christ.

This is one of the reasons our life together in community is strengthening for our faith. In our fellowship we remind one another to recognize God at work in our midst and in each other. When stormy, grievous and fearsome things arrive, we calm one another with loving kindness. We pray for miracles and sometimes we experience them. We practice recognizing one another as those made in the image of God, and this transforms us.

This week we have had a great time together sharing fellowship with each other and the wider community at our Garden Party and again at the outdoor concert with Barfly. Next week, we will discuss Theo of Golden and share fellowship at the rectory. Perhaps this will strengthen you in some way as you recognize yourself as one who is made in the image of God. And this might just open your eyes to more of the miracles God is bestowing.

Reflection Questions:

• Who has helped you see yourself with greater kindness or confidence? What did that person recognize in you that you may not have recognized in yourself?
• When fear or uncertainty takes hold, what becomes harder for you to see? Like the disciples in the storm, are there times when anxiety has made it difficult to recognize God’s presence or remember past blessings?
• How does being part of a community help us recognize God at work? When has another person helped you see hope, grace, or possibility that you could not see on your own?
• What might change if we practiced truly “recognizing” one another as people made in the image of God? Who in your life might need the gift of being seen, valued, or reminded of the goodness you recognize in them?