seen with Jesus eyes

She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight.

When Jesus saw her, he called her over…

                                                                                                 Luke 13:11-12

seen with Jesus eyes                                                                              Erling Shultz, August 2019

of course, she’s late for the service;

     no one willing to walk with her,

                 willing to match her pace,

                             to ensure she is there

of course, [he] takes [his] station in the back;

     no one willing to stay with [him],

                 willing to sit alongside,

                             to notice [he] is there

of course, [they] remain in the silence;

     no one (not even [them]) expecting a change,

                 or contemplating inclusion,

                             all just accepting [their] fate

her otherness on the streets,

     follows her into the church,

          where she maintains –

                             unnamed, unseen, unheard, untouched

she is invisible

          till seen with Jesus eyes;

     Those eyes acknowledge the grace abiding

          and names her child of the Promise,

     Those eyes accept the worth residing

          and invites [him] the center of Life,

     Those eyes hear the anguish insiding

          and restores [them] the sound of Hope,

     Those eyes feel the separateness besiding

           and refills all the contact of Love

of course, the question then becomes,

     who remains invisible –

                                 late or away, apart or alone, silent or unexpecting;

          till seen with [mine and yours and ours],

                                 Jesus eyes?