First Sunday in Lent - Sight

As [Jesus] was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments…” … He said to [Jesus], “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. - Mark 17:17-22

Whenever I have the privilege of reading the above scripture during worship, I’m always tempted to really punch up the line about Jesus looking at the man and loving him, a la church lady Colleen in this SNL skit (right around the 1:30 mark). “Jesus…LOOKING at him…LOVED him…” There’s just something about Jesus, who is already in a full on conversation with this fellow, taking an extra beat to look at him, love him, and *then* share what he knows is going to be a difficult invitation for this guy to process.

Though I’ve always wondered if maybe Jesus was going to say something else to the guy, but in taking the time to look at him and be moved to love, he pivots. To me, this moment feels like a holy pause. An opportunity for Jesus to see this beloved of God as such and to let that inform his next move.

I don’t know for sure what Jesus saw when he looked at this man. But the more I read this scripture, the more I’m convinced that when we see *anyone*, if we can slow down just enough for a holy pause and to risk being moved to love, I think we’d turn the world upside down in the best way.

Invitation: Find a mirror, and look right at your beautiful self, right in the eyes. Take a pause, and then declare out loud what is true: “Beloved by God.”

Now, find another person. Any person will do. (Spouse; child; coworker; grocery store clerk.) If you dare, look them in the eyes and remind them out loud that they are beloved by God. Or, look them in the eyes and offer a smile, simply make space for a brief holy pause, and invite God to move you to love. See what happens next. Repeat.

Prayer: God who sees, bless my sight. Not everything is pleasing to my eyes, God. Not everything is beautiful. Some things, some people, some situations - I find them difficult to look at. Help me look at the world, at myself, at my neighbors, and take a holy pause. And in seeing and pausing, move me to love.