I love to people watch. I like to envision what their life is like or think of what is happening in the now of their lives. I really like watching them interact with other family members. That’s when I realized how alike we all are.
My most recent people watch was watching God and satan work at the same time in a McDonalds. My hubby and I were doing a Bible study there. We decided to sit by a window that overlooked the play place. A great place to people watch. Children are the best to watch because they aren’t inhibited by social rules and are most of the time innocent. I observed a little girl playing in the climbing tower and her mother was watching from the table below. Let’s call her Sally. Sally was the only child in the play place at the time. She was talking so sweetly to her mom while she played. She checked in with her mom frequently and appeared to be a good girl. I could tell the mother was preoccupied mentally and didn’t truly engage with the girl but Sally didn’t seem to mind – Sally was so happy and energized. The mother went to pick up their food at the counter when I saw two other mothers come in with three girls between the two of them. The girls went skipping off to the play land. Isn’t it funny you don’t have to tell kids to go play.
Sally began to talk and laugh with one of the girls (Jane). They got along tremendously. Almost instantly holding hands and playing nicely. The other two girls stuck together playing on the games in the bottom away from everyone else.
Sally’s mom announced that it was time to go. She went to gather up her shoes and did the most amazing thing. Sally hugged her new friend. This took the Jane by surprise but then produced a great big smile on her new friend. Sometimes parents need to protect their children’s spirit and not snuff it out (1 Thessalonians 5:19 NASB95).
Sally ran to meet her mom and left waving back to her new friend. The other little girl ran back to the other two girls and told them about her new friend and how she hugged her. The other girls said to Jane that Sally isn’t someone they should play with because she wasn’t like them and that she smelled bad. Instantly you could see the excitement drain out of Jane because that’s not what she saw in Sally. Jane looked back and gave Sally one last big smile and wave with a look of elation. Then you could see confusion set in by what her old friends were saying and what she was feeling.
Something deep inside connected Jane and Sally. I like to think that Jane saw Sally’s inner, spiritual person and wanted to be around her more. Sally was a special person that can touch that inner most being in everyone and share abundant joy. And that was what happened to Jane. But the other girls focused on Sally’s visible person – clothing, hair, etc. Now Jane has learned to doubt her instinct and feelings because of the two girls. Jane only connected with the beautiful spirit inside Sally not the outward appearance like the other two girls.
But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance or at the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7 AMPC)
I think this is the way Jesus is also-pure love and joy beyond measure. Some people are more receptive than others and accept it right away. Then there are others that are focused on placing people into the right social category and missing the experience of a true relationship with our Lord and Savior. This is what satan wants. remember satan wants to steal, kill and destroy. This fits right into the all of those categories. We need to be more like Jesus – looking inward at the heart of a person and not the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). We don’t know what people are going through – only the Lord does. That’s not our job. Our job is to love and spread the good news about Jesus. Go my friend and live in love.
God is love. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run (1 Corinthians 13:13 TPT). Jesus is Lord.