Invisible Visible – Thoughts from the Edge

“I walked right by it and did not see it.” How many times has that been your experience? Sometimes I am in a hurry. Other times I am tuned into something else entirely. On a few occasions I need someone to help me see what I have missed. Scott Bader-Saye wrote a theological essay on Luke 16:19-31. I cannot stop thinking about his suggestion that we live within systems that often keep us from seeing the world the way Jesus did. Thereby we miss the very people Jesus described in Luke 4. In fact, it may be we have so positioned ourselves so we don’t have to see. What should be visible is invisible. We need the make the invisible visible.

The Rich Man in the parable could not see Lazarus. Oh, I know, it is a parable. But, as Jesus tells it one thing we know Lazarus sees Dives but Dives does not see Lazarus.

We live in an area where it is easy “not” to see those in need. Our busyness and the structure of our lives requires us to “look” for those in need. And, since we are busy and structured as we are we use thee excuse that we have not seen anyone in need. That is precisely what Paul addresses in the Timothy passage. Real life is taken hold of when our living does not turn on the quest for things that take all of our time and energy. In those moments of living we see what we have not seen before. Our “gifts” then become means to help – much more than with crumbs.

What are your thoughts about the intersection of the Luke 16 passage and the 1 Timothy passage?

About the Author
Husband to Patty. Daddy to Kimberly and Tommie. Grandpa Doc to Cohen, Max, Fox, and Marlee. Pastor to Snow Hill Baptist Church. Graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reading. Photography. Golf. Colorado. Jeeping. Friend. The views and opinions expressed here are my own and should not be construed as representing the corporate views of the church I pastor.

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