Seeing The Unseen

As children of God, we see things differently. We have our own perspectives that are influenced by factors such as where we come from, our experiences, and the people that have molded us to be the person we are today. I have noticed that this week has been about seeing the unseen. As another day passes by, I learn something new about the city, my co-interns, and my work place, that I never would imagine seeing if I was not eager to learn them. God sees beyond what is seen by the judging eyes of humans. He has seen every part of us and already sees what has yet to be part of us.

Behind the people in suit and ties who come in and go out of Washington DC’s busy office buildings are the homeless people who show up at night and struggle to find a home and a job. Behind the city’s historical buildings are stories of people who have felt the impact of slavery, poverty, and injustices. As much as there are a lot of beautiful places to see, there are also a lot of issues to address. As I unpack my thoughts, I start to see the unseen in DC. These people are pleading invisibly and need saving. If I were only focused on seeing the beauty of DC, I would not be able to understand how people have acquired the mindset they have.

The book of Luke 13:10-17, which was part of our weekly devotion/meditation, exemplifies Jesus’ perception of Sabbath day. He healed the crippled woman on a Sabbath which made the synagogue leader question him and abhor his actions. Other people will see that Jesus’ actions are completely in contrast of the rule that no one is to work on a Sabbath day. Some will realize the idea that Jesus looks at the crippled woman as someone who equally deserve God’s love and should be immediately healed. This goes to show that our perspectives vary greatly and creates a big impact on how we make decisions.

I work for Interfaith Power and Light, a non-profit organization that helps congregations to go green, go solar and respond to climate change. This week I was given the chance to attend the Citizen’s Climate Lobby Conference which was truly informative and inspiring. Their mission is “to create the political will for a sustainable climate and to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power.” Attending the conference made me realize that there are hundreds of people who are driven to make a difference. They share their perspectives and their knowledge to empower others into believing that climate justice is possible. Along with the conference, I also got to attend the EPA Budget Hearing with Scott Pruitt that happened on Thursday. To my surprise, even the republicans in the room disagreed with the proposed budget cut. Although the government officials and the witnesses have the same goal in that room, they have different perception to reach that goal. Even if sometimes things create conflicts, it needs to be addressed so it can be resolved.

Many things happened this week, I can say that they are both stressful and encouraging. I will simply break them down. I lost my metro card that can get me by for a couple of months, that was my low. But, I chose to look at the bright side. Losing my metro card is not as bad as not having a home to live in or a job. Losing my metro card is a lesson for me to be more aware and careful at all times. Losing my metro card means I just need to restrain myself from buying a lot of stuff and saving more money. Losing it is not the nicest thing that can happen but it is also not the worst. I have learned that when bad things happen, I just need to see the bigger picture, look at the bright side, avoid repeating it, and move along.

Julliane Osias

GBCS EYA Intern 2017
Interfaith Power & Light