I loved the simple pattern you pulled from Jesus’ response: see, move, help.
The reminder that Jesus saw the widow first — not just the problem, not just the need, but her — felt especially important. It is so easy to rush toward fixing or explaining, when Jesus shows us the tenderness of truly seeing someone before anything else.
“See people, move toward them, and help meet their needs” is a beautiful and practical picture of love in motion. Thank you for this.
The part that matters is beautifully simple: Jesus saw her. Not the issue, not the talking point, not the ministry opportunity, not the theological object lesson. Her. That is the holy scandal most religion keeps trying to avoid. The empire wants categories. The crowd wants spectacle. The respectable people want distance. Jesus moves toward the grieving woman and restores her to life, dignity, and community. If our faith does not train us to see the person in front of us and move toward their need, then we are not protecting the creed. We are embalming it.
This feels like the whole path in three movements:
See. Move. Help.
Not see the “issue.” Not move toward the debate. Not help in a way that keeps us feeling superior.
See the person. Move toward the pain. Help restore dignity.
From where I sit, that is where religion becomes real. Not in the creed alone, but in the heart becoming merciful enough to notice who has been pushed to the edge of the road.
I don't think it all falls apart. I think healing and raising the dead looks different for us. Maybe we can't heal someone's cancer, but we can be a part of healing someone's loneliness through community. Maybe we can't raise someone from the dead literally, but we can help hope and joy come back to life in places where they have died.
Perhaps. I just wonder what if the best Jesus could offer to them was the same? No miracles, just words.
It just feels like we have so little to offer devastated people, and Jesus could offer immediate, real-time responses. The apostles could do this as well. So, what happened? How did the church lose that power? And what distinguishes Christian's response to healing and comforting from that of a nonbeliever?
I see emojis of praying hands on Facebook posts about deaths, hospitalizations, tragedies. It's quick and easy; is prayer really backing it up? Has social media further weakened what was already a tenuous hold on caring?
The post is spot on as far as being the hands and words of Christ. It just seems like those hands have been stripped of their power and our words have so little power and authority over evil. Keep writing and making us think.
A much needed reminder of what's most important.
Thank you, Zach
You're welcome! So glad it was helpful.
So encouraging for this moment!
I loved the simple pattern you pulled from Jesus’ response: see, move, help.
The reminder that Jesus saw the widow first — not just the problem, not just the need, but her — felt especially important. It is so easy to rush toward fixing or explaining, when Jesus shows us the tenderness of truly seeing someone before anything else.
“See people, move toward them, and help meet their needs” is a beautiful and practical picture of love in motion. Thank you for this.
Thank you for this! Much appreciated and needed.
The part that matters is beautifully simple: Jesus saw her. Not the issue, not the talking point, not the ministry opportunity, not the theological object lesson. Her. That is the holy scandal most religion keeps trying to avoid. The empire wants categories. The crowd wants spectacle. The respectable people want distance. Jesus moves toward the grieving woman and restores her to life, dignity, and community. If our faith does not train us to see the person in front of us and move toward their need, then we are not protecting the creed. We are embalming it.
This feels like the whole path in three movements:
See. Move. Help.
Not see the “issue.” Not move toward the debate. Not help in a way that keeps us feeling superior.
See the person. Move toward the pain. Help restore dignity.
From where I sit, that is where religion becomes real. Not in the creed alone, but in the heart becoming merciful enough to notice who has been pushed to the edge of the road.
If only we had the power to heal, to raise the dead . . . That is where this all falls apart.
I don't think it all falls apart. I think healing and raising the dead looks different for us. Maybe we can't heal someone's cancer, but we can be a part of healing someone's loneliness through community. Maybe we can't raise someone from the dead literally, but we can help hope and joy come back to life in places where they have died.
Perhaps. I just wonder what if the best Jesus could offer to them was the same? No miracles, just words.
It just feels like we have so little to offer devastated people, and Jesus could offer immediate, real-time responses. The apostles could do this as well. So, what happened? How did the church lose that power? And what distinguishes Christian's response to healing and comforting from that of a nonbeliever?
I see emojis of praying hands on Facebook posts about deaths, hospitalizations, tragedies. It's quick and easy; is prayer really backing it up? Has social media further weakened what was already a tenuous hold on caring?
The post is spot on as far as being the hands and words of Christ. It just seems like those hands have been stripped of their power and our words have so little power and authority over evil. Keep writing and making us think.
I completely agree about the use of “thoughts and prayers” as an excuse not to actually help. We must be better.