“So she called the LORD who spoke to her: The God Who Sees, for she said, “In this place, have I actually seen the One who sees me?” (Genesis 16:13)
“Oh, it’s them. Ugh, stay away. Thank God I’m not like them.”
If you’ve ever thought that, you probably had what seemed like a good reason for feeling that way about another person. If you’ve been on the receiving end of that treatment – deserved or not – you probably felt isolated and despaired of ever getting past that image. Thank God that He doesn’t scorn us
for our reputation or choices, but rather actually sees us.
Christians like to read 1 Samuel 16:7 & Hebrews 4:12 and apply them to David son of Jesse because his reputation has already been rehabilitated: He killed Goliath! He was a man after God’s heart! He was the first good king of Israel! He was a fantastic musician! But we’re less likely to apply the same grace to someone like Hagar daughter of nobody: She was a slave! She was an Egyptian! She tried to take Sarai’s place in the family! She was the mother of Islam [indirectly, to say the least].
Abram and Sarai decided to use Hagar as a surrogate mother. But once she got pregnant, Hagar was treated so badly that she ran away. While resting at an oasis, Hagar was surprised by a messenger from God who talked with her, then agve her a command and a promise. The command was to go back to Sarai and submit to her despite the mistreatment. The promise was that Hagar would get through her pregnancy safely and bear a son who could provide for her, a family of her own, hope for the future, inheritors of God’s covenant with Abram. Hagar’s response was to recognize who was speaking to her in the flesh and name him “God, the Living One who sees me.” God who saw the terrible situation she was in. God who saw and named her unborn child. God who counted a slave without connections as a daughter in His household.
So what does this mean for us today? We’re not star players in the Gospel narrative, but we are still a part of that narrative, and God sees the roles we play as members of His household. There are many differences between that society and ours, including family structure, education and jobs, and living arrangements. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, there are trustworthy people at our church and in social services who will assist you. If your situation is less dire but still painful, spend time dwelling on what God thinks of you and seek out friends who will see you that way too. And remember to be gracious in how you see others.