^looking up^

A few months ago i was walking around in the Ozark Mountain area surrounded by breathtaking scenary. the problem was i was seeing it. I was too busy looking down to see where i was walking. As i noticed this i applied it my everyday life and was appalled by what i discovered. In my daily life i haven't been noticing the scenery. I was only watching my own steps. I wasn’t even noticing the everyday people and their strongholds around me. I haven’t looked up, to the right, and to the left. I've always so careful to watch my own footsteps. I don’t want to stumble ya know. I'm always on the lookout for predators. My eyes are constantly fixed downward watching myself and my steps. I realize that I’ve become so consumed with being cautious that I've failed to notice everything that has passed by me. I missed the beautiful scenery while in the midst of a room full of worshippers, or while new believers begin a new journey, or when close friends began a new life of parenthood. I was too busy watching the people around me in a different light: who is honest…who is not…who is led by the Holy Spirit…and who is not…who is the predator…who is not. I have also missed the ugly scenery: I didn’t notice the girl who wore long sleeves in the spring/summer because of her freshly scarred arm or the teen who is trapped in a violent relationship. I didn’t notice the young woman sitting at Burger King debating if she should get an abortion or not. I didn’t look in the eyes of a molested young child. I didn’t notice that the girl that had been raped twice wasn't "ok" like she thinks she is. I didn’t notice the young woman who purges her food after large meals. Man, how could I miss so much? It was all in front of my face…except I was only looking at my world: what is safe...what is not…what is a good decision…what is not…me, me, me! I’ve chosen to look up. I want to see the world around me. It looks so beautiful and so ugly at the same time. But I know where to find hope. I know where the Rescuer lives! I have good news for the world!To be honest it’s a little hard looking up. People hurt so badly. It makes me hurt with them. They weep so hard at night and I want to weep with them. They are so distant because of their scars and I just want to hug them. I see young women looking to “seasonal sin” to find eternal love. What in the world can I really do about this? I mean really....I’m not the Rescuer!?! **The first and most important thing I can do is to look up and notice them.**