Invisible People ... Seeing or Not Seeing

When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36

I was chatting recently with a fellow senior citizen (OK, old lady like me). We had both been at  the same social situation recently. Interestingly, as we compared notes, it turns out that each of us had the same experience there. We both marveled at how unfriendly many of the younger women were toward us. Neither of us were unknown to them, so it was confusing.

Then I remembered words that I had heard out of the mouth of an older man in a movie years ago. (I wish I could remember which movie):

The older you get the more invisible you become.  

So I guess that was it ... and it's so sad. 

But then I thought about other invisible people: special needs folks, the homeless, the mentally challenged, the nerdy types, the difficult relative, and the list can go on and on. I realized that some of those people were invisible to me. And it's so sad.

Then I remembered Jesus! 

No one is invisible to Him ... He sees each person with eyes of compassion. He looks upon each of us and loves us. And I was grateful when I realized that it didn't matter if my "old lady friend" and I may be invisible to others. We are special to Him. And yes, those "invisibles" that I don't "see" (many times by my choice, to my shame) are special to Him too!

Oh my Savior, how compassionate You are! Live your seeing, caring life through me so that I will see with Your eyes and love with Your heart ... even those who don't see me. Let me see them as the insecure, needy human beings that they in fact may be... not too different from me. Amen.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life. 

*For some tips on handling social situations with the attitude of Christ, take a look at: 
Social Anxiety

**And for some tips on Aging: Facing my Mortality