The red light was just long enough to break my heart.
I glanced over and saw him, the same age as one of my nephews, and he was staring out the window. Dirty blond hair hung long around the small boy’s smudged face. His eyes stared out the window, but they weren’t seeing the world with the eyes of a child.
In the front seat of the van were a man and a woman. The man’s finger jutted violently in front of him like he could poke and harm the person he was talking about even though they were not there. His face was angry, and his voice was loud. The woman listened, the man was speaking, and the child sat still as though he were unseen and invisible. But, I saw him.
“Look up child.” I wanted him to look at me so I could give him some of my smile. I wanted to silently tell him, “I see you.”
The boy never looked at me. The light turned green and the van sped off with him in the back seat, numbed by an environment of angry words and pointing fingers.
I wept. A child unloved is a dying child. I prayed for that little one and asked God to place love on that child who looked lost at an age where joy and exploration and discovery should fill his day.
I felt God whisper to my heart, “I see you like you saw him. Look up child. I heard your prayer for that little one.”
Billy Graham said once, “No matter where you are, God is there loving you.” If we are to be the literal hands and feet of Jesus to this world, we are often the ones there loving.
The little boy didn’t know I saw him and that I prayed for him, but I did place love over him in the form of a prayer. One of God’s names, and one of my personal favorites is El Roi. It means, “the God who sees me.”
The enemy of our souls is an accuser, a pointer of fingers and a destroyer of our hearts. But, the lover of our souls is a savior and the lifter of our heads and the healer of every wound.
So today, I say to you, “Look up child.” Know the love of the Father and that wherever you are today He is there loving you.
Don’t stop there though, pass that love along some how. I’d love to hear what you did to love someone today. Please leave a comment so we all can be encouraged.
Stopping over from 500 words, via Robin’s post. This is really simply and beautifully put. Thank you for the reminder of how we are loved, and how simple it can be to pass it on!
Thank you for stopping in from My 500 words! What a great group that is! I really appreciate your words of encouragement! See you soon over there or here!
This is beautifully written, Aimee. Thank you for sharing it with the wide world. Your blog looks great.
Laura
Thanks Laura! I really appreciate you taking the time to read the blog and encourage me!
Hi Aimee. I’m visiting you from 500 Words.
This is an incredibly beautiful post. It makes me think of Genesis 16 when Hagar and Ishmael were under the tree. Hagar said, “I have seen the God Who sees me.”
What a wonderful thing to know that our God does not turn His eyes away from us, and is in fact “looking over the whole earth for someone to show Himself strong to.”
I know that your prayer for that little boy will reap incredible benefit throughout his life – because that is the kind of God we serve.
Hi Donna! Thank you so much for visiting my blog! I am so thankful for your encouragement as well as the reminder of Genesis 16. I love the beauty and intimacy of God in that story. And yes, prayers do something ALWAYS, even if we don’t see it. Thank you for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!
Very nicely written. Yes, God does see all the brokenness and uses us to mend it with our prayers. Beautiful portrait of Father God that you painted with your words. Keep writing.
Thank you Robin! I appreciate your kind words and will look out for more posts from you as well! Blessings!
I work with high schoolers, many who come from broken homes. They desperately need to know they have value. I’ve always been drawn to the “misfits”, I suppose because I used to be one. Sometimes, it’s a hug. Sometimes, it’s a little teasing. Sometimes, it’s telling a girl how much I love her outfit, or telling a guy how good his new haircut looks. Just find something about them to give them a boost. They know I love them.
Hi Shelly! Thank you so much for reading my blog. I love your heart for children and really appreciate your suggestions on how to offer love! What great ideas! I have just started working with foster children and yes, the small things count more than we know! Blessings to you!