I was driving along a country road through beautiful forested hills. Although it was lovely, the heaviness of human cares seemed to shadow the scene. “What should I do about …..? How should I …..?”  As I headed up a hill, I realized my car visor was blocking part of my view. I flipped it up and light poured in from a bright, blue sky with wispy clouds. Wow! I’d been missing the bigger view! Now I could see a whole new vista! Yes, there was the dark, shadowy road, but above there was a bright sky to cheer me. I wondered how often I’ve had visor vision and missed the vista.
Our sad, scary, painful circumstances can focus our attention on the shadows when instead we could let in the light of God’s unfailing care for us. This morning’s Scripture reading in Matthew struck me. Jesus didn’t push past those who were sick or ignore the suffering ones on his way to do important things. He had compassion and time for those who were expendable in society’s eyes. Although he was days from his ultimate sacrifice, he took time to meet the needs of the ‘lessers’. But those who were busy about their business of making money, he upended.

“Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them.“ Matthew 21:12-14. Jesus citing Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11

This morning we were in the waiting room of a veteran’s hospital clinic—a sobering parade of Vietnam veterans once strong and needed, but now failing and expendable were coming for help. And each one was met with compassion and care, including dear Husband. It reminded me that Jesus treats us with compassion and care and is never too busy to meet us in our need. In fact, everywhere Jesus went, the sick came for healing. And he didn’t turn a deaf ear or give an annoyed sigh. He stopped and healed. He cared.

“The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David.’ But the leaders were indignant.” Matthew 21:15

Jesus had time for the sick and the children. Others, especially self-important leaders, passed them by as not having the same worth as contributing members of society. But Jesus didn’t shoo them away in favor of ‘higher’ tasks, or more worthy people. He met them where they were. He was never too busy or too important. His heart was for the hurting, and the inconvenient ones.
I’m counting on his compassion right now. I know he’s never too busy running the universe to listen to our pleas for help. I know he’s never more interested in important people than in us. I know he understands our pain and dread because he experienced it, too. He is never annoyed or distracted. We’re not a bother to him. He is with us. Instead of seeing only the shadows, I can put my visor up and soak in the vista of his glorious, enduring love and light.