The God Who Sees You

By Tammy Maltby –

The God Who Sees You bookcover image It happened back when I was in my twenties, but I’ve never forgotten it. Some days the memory still haunts me.

I was working as a flight attendant, and I had a layover in Portland, Oregon. Christmas was on its way, so I decided to use my limited layover time to put a dent in my Christmas shopping. I ran from store to store downtown on a cold, drizzly afternoon, then crossed the street toward one last department store before heading back to my hotel. Right outside that store, beside the big revolving doors, I saw a homeless man sitting quietly on a piece of cardboard.

fall scents for your home

He was dirty, disheveled, and missing both legs. And he was staring at me. He looked desperate and a little scary. He definitely made me uncomfortable.

In a hurry to finish my shopping, I entered the revolving door. But as I slowly pushed it around, I glanced in his direction, and his eyes met mine. I gave a passing half-smile, looked away quickly, and kept on pushing toward the emotional safety of the store.

I rode the big escalator up to the floor I needed and moved on quickly to accomplish my to-do list. But as I bustled through the various departments, I felt a nudge in my spirit. I’d experienced that kind of nudge before, but this one came with words that surprised me:

This is a test. This is only a test.

What in the world? A test? Somehow I knew that God was asking me to push past what I was comfortable with and give that homeless man money for lunch.

He said, Tell him I love him, I care for him…that I see him..

I didn’t really want to do it. I must have gone up and down the elevator five times, changing my mind. But I just couldn’t shake the conviction that I needed to go out there, so I finally headed to the door. As I pushed back through the circular glass enclosure, the homeless man met my eyes again. It was as if he knew I would return.

I fumbled in my purse and blurted out, “I just wanted to give you some money for lunch.” I pulled out a ten-dollar bill and handed it to him. “Oh, and God told me to tell you He loves you and He…sees… you.”

The man reached up to take the money. “I saw you go into the store,” he said. “God told me you’d be the one to help me today.” He continued to stare at me with piercing eyes. “But what you have to know is that this was a gift for you from God. Because this was only a test.”

My jaw dropped. “What did you just say?”

He repeated it: “This is only a test.”

I can’t remember if I answered him or not. I do know I turned away quickly, my mind replaying what he had said and how he’d said it. The whole experience seemed so strange—I stepped onto the busy street, only feet from where this man huddled and I turned to look at him one more time.

He was gone. Vanished.

I was so shaken I could hardly walk. I looked up and down the street. He wasn’t there. He couldn’t have walked away, and there had been no time for someone to carry him.

I spotted a Salvation Army kettle ringer nearby. “Where did that man go?” I asked. “The one who was sitting over there?”

The ringer shrugged. “I’ve been here all afternoon, and I didn’t see anybody.” I said with more urgency, “No the man right there. You must of seen him!” “No miss I didn’t see anyone there.”

I was left wondering: Was I seeing things?

Was that man really there?

And if he was what exactly wasthe test?

Today, looking back, I’m still not exactly sure what happened. But I do have a pretty good sense of how I was being tested that night.

It’s the same test you and I face every time we encounter one of our fellow humans beings—the test of how we choose to see them and what we do in response.

Will we choose to look through God’s eyes at the people we encounter daily? Will we see them—really see them? Will we enter into their reality, understand their need, and act accordingly?

It’s a test of perception and response—and how we respond makes all the difference:

Will we seeJesus in others?

And will we accept the challenge to be Jesus to them?


Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Hebrews 13:2

Adapted from The God Who Sees You by Tammy Maltby (with Anne Christian Buchanan). Copyright 2012 David C. Cook. Used with permission. Permission required to reproduce. All rights reserved.

 

Tammy Maltby is a speaker, author and media personality with a heart for helping women to live rich, authentic lives. Her multifaceted life can be summed up in one word “encouragement”. Please join Tammy at her blog http://www.tammymaltby.com/, on facebook at Tammy Maltby’s Author page or Twitter https://twitter.com/tammymaltby

 

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The God Who Sees You
Scroll to Top