I’ve never liked Tabasco sauce.
But my friend Skyler loves Tabasco sauce. Whenever I go to a cheap restaurant, and I see a bottle of Tabasco sauce on my table, I send a picture of it to Skyler. Skyler messages back: “I feel seen.”
Seen? It’s an unusual response. But it’s also one worth probing further. That’s because we have a primal need to be seen. It’s just as primal as our need for love, food, and shelter.
'Did you see me?'
My youngest son plays cricket for his school. I know. Cricket. It’s the sport where nothing ever happens. It’s only exciting because there’s a threat that something exciting might happen. But it never does. That’s why parents - who watch their children play cricket - are never watching. We’re on our devices. Talking to other parents. But we’re never actually watching.
But in that rare moment, when our kid steps up to bat, we drop everything to watch. Why? Because if our kid does something - like hit a six - their first question is: “Did you see me?”
If we didn’t see them, they deflate immediately. For them, it’s like: “If you hit a six but your parent didn’t see you hit it, did you really hit a six?”
God has turned His face towards us
As adults, we haven't outgrown this need to be seen. When we post on social media, it’s all about the likes. If we post, but no one likes it, we also deflate. We sheepishly return to our post and delete it. If you post, but no one likes it, what’s the point?
We continue to look for this in our work, play, sport, and leisure. We have to be seen to be in the right job. Or the right car. Or with the right romantic partner. It’s all about being seen.
Even David Beckham, in the Netflix documentary Beckham, admits that he looks for his mum and dad in a crowd of 100,000 before a game. He’s an experienced, talented, global football star, but he needs to know that they are there. Watching. Only then can he happily play football. That’s because - until we are seen by someone who loves us - we have no peace.
We see this on the big stage, where world leaders start wars hoping that this puts them in the history books. Pop singers chase bigger crowds and bigger stadiums. Sporting stars come out of retirement to play one more game.
Like us, they’re trying desperately to be seen. Until they fulfil this need, they will be restless. Forever wandering. Forever grasping for power, fame, and trophies.
But if they’re still searching in the crowd to be seen, what chance do we little people have? How can we be seen?
"Our security no longer comes from what we do or own, but from God’s love for us."
This is the promise of Christmas - that God sees us.
On the original Christmas day, when Jesus was born 2000 years ago, a throng of angels announced the news - peace to those on whom God’s favour rests (Luke 2v14).
This deliberately recalls an ancient blessing that the prophet Moses gave to God’s people thousands of years earlier:
"The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace" (Numbers 6v24-26).
Can you hear what God promises? God, through Jesus, promises to be that somebody who sees us. God promises to “turn his face towards you and give you peace.”
As an Asian-Australian, I understand the Asian culture. It’s all about face. If your parents turn their faces away, then you are covered in shame. But if they turn their faces toward you, then you are honoured.
The Missing Peace: How Christmas Brings the Calm We Crave by Sam Chan.
But, at Christmas, God promises even more. He will “make his face shine” upon us. Somehow, if we put our trust and identity in Jesus, we will be seen by God. We will be honoured, glorified, and esteemed by God. This gives us peace because God affirms us. It becomes the foundation for thriving. No matter what happens to us, we know that we are seen and loved by God. This gives us permission to strive and also freedom to fail. Because our security no longer comes from what we do or own, but from God’s love for us.
Each Christmas, we are reminded that "peace on earth" can be a reality, and we are reminded of its source. It is always and only found in Jesus. That is good news of great joy for the whole world, and December is a great month for sharing it with our friends, family and neighbours. But it's not only for them - it's for us, too. In Jesus, we are seen and loved by God. In Jesus, we can feel God's face shining upon us. What a gift to enjoy this winter!
