Sea of Faces

In the last few weeks there have been so many Divine Encounters that it’s hard to pick just one to mention. I found myself really seeking them out after adding the page to the blog. In adding the page, it added another level of accountability; to be present and be aware of what God was showing me.

Throughout the week the lyrics of a song called Sea of Faces, by Kutless kept coming to mind and they are perfect for the “You Matter” project:

I see the city lights all around me
Everyone’s obscure
Ten million people each with their problems
Why should anyone care?

And in your eyes I can see…

I am not just a man vastly lost in this world
Lost in a sea of faces
Your body’s the bread, Your blood is the wine
Because You traded Your life for mine

Sometimes my life it feels so trivial
Immersed in the greatness of space
Yet somehow You still find the time for me
It’s then You show me Your love

And in your eyes I can see…
And in your arms I will be…

I am not just a man vastly lost in this world
Lost in a sea of faces
Your body’s the bread, Your blood is the wine
Because You traded Your life for mine

If only my one heart
Was all You’d gain from all it cost
Well I know You would have
Still been a man with a reason
To willingly offer your life

Some of the people that I met this week reminded me of the words “Everyone’s obscure, Ten million people each with their problems, why should anyone care?”

One day it was Kylee, a young girl working at a coffee shop she was smiling and friendly and when I asked her name I remembered her as one of my nieces’s friends in high school. I asked how she was doing and she shared with me that she was taking a break from college after three semesters. She thanked me for talking with her. I noticed that she perked up at being recognized and remembered.

Another day it was a cashier at the dollar store. She was stocking shelves and then noticed that I was in her checkout line and hurried over to help. The line started backing up and she was working as fast as she could. The register was not scanning properly, but she kept a very upbeat attitude and apologized for the delay. I mentioned how hard she was working and that I appreciated her help. She smiled and thanked me for being kind.

Towards the end of the week I was back at a coffee shop and this time a younger man was working. He had several piercings, gauges in his ears and many visible tattoos. I placed my order and he kept watching me as if waiting to see a reaction to his appearance. I simply smiled and waited for my latte. While waiting I thought about him and his decision to create the appearance that he has. I know that people can be very judgmental about piercing and tattoos and his choices were very bold and some of them lifelong. Are they his way of standing out, being noticed or could they be because he wants to fit in and be accepted? It could simple be because he likes them. But regardless of the reasons I wondered if he knows that he matters?

We come across so many people every day and the song is correct in that it is a sea of faces. What do you see in those faces? Joy, fear, sadness, hope? Sometimes a simple phrase can make all the difference in their day, “You Matter!”

As the song said even if it was only one heart that Christ would gained in his sacrifice, it would have been worth it. I’m heading back out into the sea of faces and I want to make sure that I let someone know everyday that they are worth it. That Christ loves them and died for them because they matter.