Not Invisible to Jesus

 

An almost-invisible red-shouldered hawk sits in a tree

Not Invisible to Jesus (Mark 5:24-34, Psalm 139)

“Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’” (Mark 5:30)

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The same day that Jesus revived Jairus’ daughter from death, he healed a woman of her longtime hemorrhaging condition. In fact it happened while Jesus was on the way to heal Jairus’ daughter. 

There was, as usual, a great crowd of people surrounding Jesus. In that crowd was this woman who had been hemorrhaging for more than twelve years. She had tried every doctor she could find, and none of them could help her, though they were willing to bleed her of all her money. So, now she was sick, weak, and poor. 

Furthermore, her condition severely limited her daily life, because her bleeding made her ceremonially unclean. She was not allowed to observe any of the religious ceremonies with the rest of the people because of her uncleanness. She shouldn’t have even been in that crowd, because touching other people would make them unclean, too.

But she was desperate. She had heard that Jesus had healed many people, often simply by touching them. So, in her desperation, she sought Jesus. She knew she couldn’t touch him because of her uncleanness. But she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, maybe I’ll be healed.” 

Suddenly, there he was, right in front of her, walking away. She pushed her way through the crowd and reached out with her hand and touched Jesus’ outer robe. In that instant, she knew it – her bleeding stopped, and she had been healed!

Even though she hadn’t actually touched Jesus, Jesus knew, because he felt healing power going out of him. So, he stopped in his tracks and asked, “Who touched me?” His disciples were incredulous. Literally, every step he took, he bumped into someone from the crowd. How could he ask, “Who touched me?”

The woman, realizing that she had not gone unnoticed, threw herself down and bowed at Jesus’ feet and admitted that it was she who had touched him. With a look of tenderness in his eyes, Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has healed you!”

The more I walk with Jesus, the more I notice that Jesus notices. No one escapes his attention. I wish I could say the same about myself, but often I go about my daily business and I don’t so much as look at those around me. They’re invisible. But not to Jesus. Nobody is invisible to Jesus.

I think the woman with the hemorrhage thought she was invisible. After twelve years of being on the outside of every social setting that meant something to her, she knew that nobody noticed her anymore. She knew that nobody saw her, except as someone to avoid.

I get sad when I realize that, just because people are pushed aside because of their condition or some other status that renders them invisible to the world that passes them by, they assume that they are invisible to God, as well. I get sad when I realize that, just because people are given the message that they are not important to those who have power and influence, they assume that they must not be important to God, either.

But the example of Jesus is loud and clear: Jesus notices. Nobody is invisible to him. There is no cry that he does not hear. There is no suffering that he does not see. He will not ever turn a blind eye to anyone who reaches out to him in faith. Not ever.

As I walk with Jesus and as I watch him turn with compassion and tenderness to those who suffer – even to those whom most of us would ignore or push aside – I am reminded more and more of the way that King David described his relationship with God:

Lord, you have examined me and you know me.
You know everything I do;
    from far away you understand all my thoughts.
You see me, whether I am working or resting;
    you know all my actions.
Even before I speak,
    you already know what I will say...

...Where could I go to escape from you?
    Where could I get away from your presence?
If I went up to heaven, you would be there;
    if I lay down in the world of the dead, you would be there...

...I could ask the darkness to hide me
    or the light around me to turn into night,
but even darkness is not dark for you,
    and the night is as bright as the day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you. (Psalm 139:1-12)

Nobody is invisible to Jesus. Nobody is a nobody to Jesus.

Dear Jesus, give me eyes to see and ears to hear the needs around me. Help me to notice everyone you put in my path, that all of my interactions with others will be filled with compassion and care. As I walk with you, I also want to see like you see, and hear like you hear. As I walk with you, I want to be more like you. Amen.