Look for the Overlooked
We live in a world where people have vast differences. And as is the case with many, the natural default is to gravitate towards our own group of people.
You know that feeling when you purchase a new-to-you car and suddenly start seeing this model every time you drive? One month before, you didn’t give Toyota Corollas a second thought. Now, you see them everywhere.
Or, to use a more personal analogy, have you ever become friends with someone who was completely different than you? It felt like you had nothing in common. But as they spoke, it was as if you had a window to a new world. You suddenly realized why they thought about politics, race, religion, class, and values in different ways than you.
After building this friendship, you started seeing people like them pop up all over and couldn’t imagine a world where they didn’t exist. In the words of C.S. Lewis,
“Friendship arises out of mere Companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some insight or interest or even taste which the others do not share and which, till that moment, each believed to be his own unique treasure (or burden). The typical expression of opening Friendship would be something like, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one."
It's only after a few "you too?" (not to be confused with U2) breakthrough moments like these that you start to recognize the value of seeing the overlooked—our fifth of seven ways to cast our bread and invest in others.
The reality is we live in a world where people have vast differences. And as is the case with many, the natural default is to gravitate towards our own group of people. The rich avoid making friendships with those in the slums, and the rural avoid connecting with those in urban communities.
It’s an isolationist mentality. If people are in need, that’s too bad, but it’s not our problem. If people in our community have radically different political opinions, that’s OK, but it’s not on us to try and become friends with them. And if people don’t share our personality, they need to find friends that do.
Sadly, the fruits of this mindset are on full display across every social media platform today. And it stands in direct opposition to the way Jesus lived. Here’s why.
