Church this week was about witnessing. The notion of being present to another person's life is deceptively simple. There is no pretense of eradicating the problems, or magnifying the triumphs. It is easier than that.
"I see. I hear. I believe."
After Jesus rose from death, the disciples were dumbfounded to see him again. They had witnessed the impossible, and they went and told others about it.
Sharing the details about how God has blessed us multiplies those gifts. In marriage group each week people articulate the ways they appreciate their spouse. It turns out there is enough joy to fill the room. In the church service we spoke to the person next to us, and told our own story of God's bounty. Then the person listening signed a small card on the line that said "witness".
Being an observer matters as much when the story is painful. Having someone receive your experience in safety can be pivotal for healing. When we shun the temptation to negate it, or minimize it, we leave breathing room.
I am grateful to the photographers who allow me to share their captures. They found an image of light, or beauty, or surprise, and caught it with a click. Amazingly their insight is not depleted by passing it on to hundreds of others. It is almost as if there is an unlimited Source.
