Seeing God in our Neighbours: Next Door & Neighbourhood Networks 

9 But Esau said, “I already have plenty, my brother. Keep what you have for yourself.”

10 “No, please!” said Jacob. “If I have found favour in your eyes, accept this gift from me. For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favourably.

One of the best places we can find God is in the faces of other people.  When we receive forgiveness, as Jacob did from Esau, it can show us God in a powerful manner.  We see God not as the angry judge, but as a loving person who is favourably disposed towards us.

It is important that we pay attention to what is happening in the lives of the people around us at home, work, and during our travels to and forth.  We might see God showing himself to someone in a special circumstance that has come their way, or even in their suffering.  Jesus told us that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, or clothe the naked, that we are doing it himself.  In Hebrews we are told that we could be entertaining angels unaware, much like Abraham.

The point is that God is ahead of us, working and active in the world.  If we want to see Him, we need to look carefully and discern where he is moving in lives of our neighbours.  We might have an opportunity to point it out to someone else and give them a seed of hope that God loves them.  Or we might have someone we least expect teach us a profound lesson about who God is and what he is up to.  Keep your eyes open, let them pray by watching others … God is moving!

Take time today to be extra conscious of those around you.  Look into their faces.  At work listen to people’s stories.  In the hallway pay attention to people’s body language.  Ask God to show you something about himself in the actions of others.

Also, take some time to meditate on the famous woodcut below: “Christ of the Breadline”.  Where have you seen Jesus show himself in unexpected people?  How can we be better at seeing Jesus in the people around us?  Do you think others might see God in you?

God is at work in our world already, and shows himself to us uniquely in the poor and outcast.  We come to pray for the work God is doing at NextDoor, Rolling Horse, as well as our church neighbourhood of Palermo, and our own neighbourhoods and networks.