Reflections:
To See and Be Seen
By Larry Hovis CBFNC Executive Coordinator
O
believe they have experienced the knowing, caring, loving ne of the oldest and most popular children’s gaze of God; and to see their communities and the world games is Hide and Seek. Though there are varias God sees them. ations, for the most part, the rules and flow of the game are very simple. One person is the Seeker. The We partner with churches to see students and young Seeker, with eyes closed, counts to 10 from a position adults, who though the prime targets of marketers and known as Home Base. While counting, the other players popular culture, they nevertheless feel unseen at a deep rush around to find hiding places. When the counting is level in the ways that truly matter. over, the Seeker shouts, “Ready or not, here I come,” and We partner with churches to see and embrace their proceeds to look for the other players. The goal is to find vulnerable neighbors – immigrants, refugees and others and tag as many players as who need housing. possible before they can We partner with make it to Home Base. The churches that are struggling, To be seen does not require first person tagged during who feel their “glory days” that round becomes the being in physical proximity; are in the past, and who Seeker for the next round. wonder if God has forgotbut it helps . . . our In Hide and Seek, playten them. We walk alongside ers try not to be seen. But in them to remind them that fellowship gathers annually life, most people want to be neither God nor their Baptist seen. Sure, there are folks to be reminded that we family has abandoned them, who prefer to work behind that they still have value and see and are seen as the the scenes and avoid the still have much to offer God’s limelight. But deep down kingdom. larger body of Christ. almost everyone wants to We partner with be seen, cared for and loved. churches to channel We all want to believe that resources, in a cooperative we matter to another person. way, to support ministries that extend the loving gaze of Unfortunately, many people in our world feel unseen. God to those churches that desire to serve but are often They don’t think they matter to anyone else. But Jesus unable to engage directly. showed us that everyone matters to God. No one is To be seen does not require being in physical proxbeyond the loving, caring gaze of God. imity; but it helps. Just as churches gather weekly to celebrate the incarnation of God in Christ – and experience Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching seeing and being seen by God and one another – our felin their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the lowship gathers annually to be reminded that we see and kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When are seen as the larger body of Christ. We have not been he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because able to gather in person since 2019. they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a That’s why our upcoming CBFNC Annual Gathering shepherd (Matthew 9:35-36). (March 17-18 at Trinity Baptist in Raleigh) is so important. With vaccines and boosters in arms and masks on faces, we will come together to celebrate the ways, as a fellowAt the core of the Gospel is the truth that God sees, ship, God has seen us and called us to see the world during cares for and loves everyone. The challenge is for us to this challenging period of our history. We will also look forbelieve that truth. Once we believe, we are called to join ward to how God is calling us to be part of His project to God in letting everyone know God sees them, cares for see the world in new ways, together. them and loves them. Joining God in that essential work becomes our main purpose in life. We worship, serve and are loved by a God who sees. Having been sought and seen, God invites us to see, seek CBFNC is devoted to God’s essential work of seeing. and love others through God’s eyes. That’s no game, but a The way we carry it out is to partner with churches to project worthy of the commitment of our lives. help them fulfill their calling to see and be seen – to truly Spring 2022 | 3
