I saw a Twilight Zone episode years ago about a man who was being punished by being marked. That mark meant that he was functionally invisible, no one could talk to him, address him or help him. He had no interaction with anyone for a year.
Sometimes I feel like I am stuck in that episode, like I am seen, but not really seen. More than that, I think the church sometimes does a lousy job of making people functionally invisible. We don’t mean to do it, it just sort of happens. Unwed moms, we often just turn away. People who are hurt by the church and become fringe members, as long as we still see them. Those who struggle with depression and take a med. We just pretend like they are fine.
I can tell you from experience, I’ve been on both sides. Saying “how ya doing” to someone, when I knew the answer. They said “fine” because they knew I didn’t want the truth. Often we say cliches to help people feel better, and I wonder whose benifit is that, them or us?
The world doesn’t stop for the hurting. People get up, go to work, go to worship service, and our broken hearts, broken dreams and broken lives don’t stop that. Just once in a while, I need someone to stop and say “I see you, you hurt and I hope it gets better for you, but even if it doesn’t, I care.”
Today, you are going through something. Maybe something small, but I would bet that it’s not, and it’s definitely not small for you. It hurts and I hope it gets better. I pray for you, those who fellowship with me on Voices. We may have never actually met, but you are not invisible, and someone does care.