SAW
verb: to perceive by the eye, to be aware of, recognize
Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:22 NIV
I bet we can all relate to this poor woman sometimes. Living in a human body often means struggling with embarrassing problems and/or limiting health issues. Bleeding was an especially difficult thing during the Bible times. A woman who was bleeding was considered to be “unclean,” and not allowed into the temple. The place where everyone she knew would be gathered was off-limits to her. What made things worse was the strict law that forbade a woman from even touching another person during her “time of the month.” So, in her case, this abnormal bleeding was not only frustrating, but it was isolating. No human contact for her. Ever.
As we all have experienced this past year, not being able to be close to people is tough on our souls. Hugging is an essential part of life for most of us, and we haven’t been able to. Hand to hand, cheek to cheek gives us a sense of joy and comfort that we are missing right now.
But…we are all in this together: understanding each other, commiserating together, hoping collectively that this will end soon.
Can you imagine being the only one who had to follow these rules? And what if instead of a little over twelve months of quarantine, you had an embarrassing health issue that had been going on for more than twelve years?
The hopelessness that would settle in seems like too much. My heart crumbles when I think of this woman feeling so insignificant and unimportant, in addition to being physically weak and terribly discouraged. The people in her life had gotten used to her not being around.
Was she going to be forgotten?
Not by Jesus.
Matthew tells us that Jesus turned and SAW her. The Greek word that helps us understand this kind of seeing means that he beheld her. It means that he was aware of her situation, he considered what she was experiencing, and he understood her.
This brave woman fought her discouragement and her fear of being arrested when she decided to reach out and touch the robe of Jesus from behind. She thought she would make a quiet, unnoticed, last-chance attempt to be physically healed, but Jesus knew that she needed much more than that.
When Jesus felt the healing power go out from him, he stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” She must have been terrified. Being called out was not part of her plan.
But it was part of Jesus’ plan.
He healed her instantly, miraculously, yet he gave her so much more than that. He acknowledged her, he encouraged her, and he affirmed her worth in front of this public crowd. Everyone would now know that she was no longer unclean. And then Jesus, in his tender, surprising way, called her “daughter,” an honored title of respect and affection and love.
How amazing that he loves us like that too.
INVITE HIM IN
Can you believe that he sees you just like he saw her? Maybe you feel insignificant, “unclean,” unloved, or unnoticed. Maybe you are desperate for a touch of healing or an affirmation of your precious worth. Reach your hand out to him, and he will not ignore you. He sees, he knows, and he promises to give you everything you need.