God’s Gaze
LETTER BY GRACE POUCH
Gaze is a powerful thing.
I wrote a few weeks ago about turning our attention toward people we would rather just ignore. Seeing Christ in the other person.
This week, I want to flip the conversation from seeing to being seen.
I love the phrase “I feel seen.” Usually when someone says this, they mean that they feel understood, listened to, respected.
What makes you feel seen? What makes you feel missed, overlooked, misunderstood?
The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu says that our ability “to imagine God’s loving gaze” is linked to our experience or lack of experience with being seen and respected by our fellow humans. “Sometimes it can be hard to see ourselves as God sees us… Maybe you don’t recall ever being looked at lovingly. Perhaps you experience every gaze as critical, judgmental, disapproving, or, at best, indifferent. But that is not how God looks at us.”
On the latest episode of Renovaré’s Life with God podcast, Adri-Marie van Heerden talks about growing up in the divided society of her South African homeland. When Adri-Marie was the only Afrikaans (Dutch descended) person living in an all-Black township she got a lot of “looks” — some positive, many negative. It was new for her to be on the receiving end of a suspicious gaze. But it highlighted for her the importance of looking deeper. Asking questions to understand why someone might feel hostility toward her. And questioning her own first impressions.
God drew Adri-Marie to Mary’s triumphant prayer of praise after the annunciation: My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant.
Here is a picture of God’s gaze. His regard.
Adri-Marie notes that the word “regard” literally means to look again. To look at others as God looks at us — seeing beyond the outward, listening deeply, so that the other person feels valued. We might call this high regard, this deep looking, “respect” — and indeed, the two words are linked etymologically.
It is humbling to look again. (I tend to trust my first impressions a bit too much.) But it helps me expand my consideration of others when I think of myself as the one being viewed. I am so grateful that God sees deeper. So grateful for those who graciously regard me.
I hope this week that you feel seen — by others, and most of all by God. And that the gaze you receive from him will be the gaze you give to others.
Grace Pouch
Content Manager
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LET’S DIVE IN...
CURATED BY GRACE POUCH
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1.
In a new episode of Life with God, South African spiritual director Adri-Marie van Heerden talks with Nathan about making friends cross-culturally, the need for humility, and learning to see others as God sees us — with great regard.
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2.
Michelle Sanchez writes, “Our generation has a unique invitation to strengthen our connection with Jesus” by letting Christ “redisciple” our racial perspectives and learning to embrace people of other colors and ethnicities. (Also check out Michelle’s children’s book on the topic, God’s Beloved Community).
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3.
Late 19th century South African pastor and missionary Andrew Murray begins a helpful teaching on living with others in humility with this exhortation: “Brother or sister, are you clothed with humility? Ask your daily life. Ask Jesus. Ask your friends. Ask the world.”
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4.
“Listening is minute-by-minute submission.” Jan Johnson explains that loving people requires respect, and respect involves attentive listening.
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5.
Vernon Johns, known as the father of the Civil Rights movement, describes the Transfiguration as the place where “the meek and lowly are enhaloed.” We share an excerpt here in this sneak peek from Renovaré’s newest resource (releasing next week).
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6.
In this filmed interview, Trevor Hudson talks about remembering that each person “sits next to his own pool of tears” — an outlook that prepares us for listening deeply as we make pilgrimages into other communities and form cross-cultural friendships.
– Grace
WORTH QUOTING
Because God always dwells in us — in all of us — there is always hope. There is always hope that the scales will fall from our eyes and we will see as God sees.
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Made for Goodness: And Why This Makes All the Difference/2011
(source)
TO CONTEMPLATE
Virgin Mary Annunciate
fra Angelico ca. 1431-1433
(source)
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant…
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.” (From Mary’s Song, Luke 1:46 – 48, 51 – 52)
TO PONDER
Think back over the years to someone who was especially kind and who made you feel seen. What do you remember about the way they regarded you? In your conversation with the Lord today, thank God for this person.