I'm linking up this post with Five Minute Friday, where we write for five minutes on a given prompt. This week's word: ONLY.
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Have you ever had an "Oh, it's only you" experience? One where you feel like another person doesn't see or value you at all?
I have.
Many years ago our young-adults group at our former church was having a sendoff for one of the couples in the group who were leaving to move to another city. The guy of the couple wanted to get a picture of the whole group, and he wanted himself and his wife in the picture too, so ... he handed me the camera and asked me to take the picture.
I was not a professional photographer nor in any way renowned for having good picture-taking skills. I'll probably never know what this guy was thinking, but the message I got was, "Let's see, who do I not care about having in this picture? I know, I'll ask Jeannie. After all, it's only Jeannie -- she won't be missed."
I wouldn't be at all surprised if everyone reading this post can point to a similar moment in their lives. A moment where the message they heard (regardless of what was intended) was "Oh. It's only you."
The Christmas story is full of people about whom most of us might say "Oh. It's only you."
Oh, it's only Mary. An unknown young woman from an obscure family.
Oh, it's only Joseph. A simple man with (ahem) a pregnant fiancee.
Oh, it's only the shepherds. Lower-class, rough-around-the-edges livestock watchers.
But God called Mary to be the mother of His Son. He gave Joseph the humble but crucial task of raising Jesus. He arranged for shepherds to receive the very first news of the Messiah's birth.
God sees and knows each one of us, even when we feel unseen.
He never says "Oh. It's only you."
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"My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant."
(Song of Mary - Luke 1:46-48a)
I needed this reminder today. Thank you, Your First Friday Neighbor www.thesparksnotes.com
ReplyDeleteSo glad to have you here, Lauren. I left a comment on your post too.
DeleteLove the tie-in to Scripture, Jeannie. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI kind of like being "it's only you"; the anonymity of dismissal can give one unexpected latitude for action.
That's a good point, Andrew: you can fly under the radar - the world's radar, anyway. Pursuing your calling "while the eyes of the great are elsewhere," as Tolkien puts it in Lord of the Rings.
DeleteThe fact that God holds me close when others push me to the margin is a sustaining blessing, Jeannie, and I've taken comfort in it repeatedly.
ReplyDeleteJesus is always with those on the margins, isn't he? That is really comforting.
DeleteGod sees. God hears. I'm not just only me to Him.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, Jeannie.
Visiting from #30.
You're very welcome, Vicki. Thanks so much for coming by today.
DeleteIndeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tara.
DeleteYes, Jeannie, I've had those "It's only you" moments too. Like at Bible study when a few people are there and someone asks, "How come no one came tonight?"(something like that.) And I want to say, "Excuse me? We am here." How good to remember God never says, "Oh. It's only you."
ReplyDeleteOh, Allison would be SO upset if someone said that! She is so literal and so sensitive. I know people say and do things thoughtlessly; I am sure I do too. But it can hurt. I'm glad God doesn't think that way. Thanks for your comment.
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