To Be Noticed

Carl had a bath yesterday and he sure does look good. The funny thing is he has actually been strutting around the house like he thinks he is handsome. His coat is shinier and softer and when I reach down to pet him, I have a strong urge to stroke his ego and tell him what a good looking dog he is. Being only a little older than a year, I can say he is in his prime. When we take our walks, he pushes out his chest and stands a little taller. I can almost hear his thoughts telling others to look his way. And they do.

On the other hand, every time I look in the mirror, I am reminded that I am way past my prime. The years that were good to me in the past are now sketched across my face, making it impossible to forget my age.  The days of fair skin and tight waist lines are long gone. Now, I walk through life without being noticed.

As I read through the gospel, I become aware of three women that Jesus noticed. Not in their prime but in the waning years of life.  There was the woman at the well that had been married five times. She must have had wrinkles and her skin probably showed the ware of rejection by so many of her former husbands.  It is amazing to think that our Lord and Savior would take the time to notice this woman and share with her the gift of life.

Another woman mentioned in the gospels stood, weeping, as the men carried her only adult son out on a stretcher to be buried.  The mourners surrounding her were unable to comfort this woman from the pain that racked her heart. Then Jesus noticed her and approached her son and did the impossible.

Lastly, there was the woman who had been declared unclean due to the unending bleeding that she suffered from. After twelve years of this traumatizing condition, with no solution in sight, this woman found her way to Jesus. Though he was surrounded by a massive crowd, she forced herself close enough to touch his garment. And in that touch, Jesus stopped and for the first time in over a decade, she was noticed.

Reading these accounts of these women reminds me that Jesus didn’t look at a person’s appearance or social status but looked at their heart. Each woman had a unique need and a faith that Jesus noticed. Would Jesus notice me? Would he see my faith if he was here today? My prayer and hope is that he would and he does.

As for Carl, he is being noticed. But he also seems to never get enough attention to feel good about himself. It makes me think that if we can place our focus on obtaining Jesus’ attention and not the people around us, we would also find the life that Jesus so freely gave to these women.