Invisible People

Do you ever notice the invisible people? They are all around you everyday… but do you see them? They might be walking right past you in the malls… They seem to be everywhere… at your grocery store as you check out… Perhaps at the restaurant where you eat… or the stores where you shop… They are there… In the corridors of buildings, walking the halls of the hospitals, where you work… BUT DO YOU SEE THEM? What on earth am I talking about???? INVISIBLE PEOPLE… that seems ridiculous… But is it?

Every day we pass these people without noticing… We are so focused on ourselves… They are there… but to so many of us they are unimportant… therefore they do not exist… They are invisible…

Who are these people…

Perhaps one of them is the person who just looked at you as you past each other at the mall… It was your choice… you never made eye contact, or smiled, or offered a "Hello! How are you!"

Perhaps they were the person who helped you today… They checked you groceries… maybe even bagged them for you… Or it was the clerk at that store you went to just yesterday… You were so focused on you that you never bothered to look up and to say " Thank you… Have a Blessed Day"

Have you ever talked to your server at a restaurant… Ask them their name? Where they lived? Other questions that suddenly made them appear to you as important? Did you leave them a generous tip with a note to let them know Jesus loved them? What about the person that cleaned off the table… Did you tell them "Thanks… I really appreciate you…"

Go ahead… Stop some time and speak to the person cleaning the floor as you walk down that corridor… Just a simple "This looks great… Thanks for the work you do… Have a blessed day" could make someone's day… If nothing else… it will make yours…

I know this may be hard… but speak to that doctor, nurse, technician, aid, staff as you walk the hospital halls… perhaps even smile and say hello to some of the family standing out in the hall… They work hard and need to know that they are valued…

Okay... what about at work? You might be surprised at the number of invisible folks that are there… You look at them every day BUT DO YOU SEE THEM??? I guess the real question is "Do you care?"

Jesus when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matt 9:36) What about us do we "see" the crowds of invisible people… The only way that will happen is if we look out over this crowd with eyes of compassion… with hearts opened recognizing their need… and willing to allow the Great Shepherd to lead us to be shepherds to His invisible fold… See the people… feed the flock…

John 21

15 Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."

16Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?"

He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."

17 The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."

Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.