Immediately

From the time of my entrance into this world until the present air I inhale, I have been a people watcher. I love to go to the mall and sit on a bench and just take it all in. To see a new mother in deep conversation with her newborn or to watch teenage boys and girls as they nonchalantly pass by one another or to observe the seasoned love of a couple that is in the twilight of their life is entertaining and enchanting. It is these moments where I realize how small I am; for everyone has a story. Each story is unique and precious to the person experiencing it. It is these moments where I ponder how often I have been the object of a people watcher and how exactly did I present myself.

There are numerous occupations that one can choose that subjects them to constant observation - professional athlete, news broadcaster, performer of any art, politician. I often find myself talking to them through the television when there is an outward expression of protest because of this subjection. "You asked for this when you chose your occupation! Why do you complain? You wanted the fame and fortune." I think we have all found ourselves thinking these thoughts even if we did not vocalize them to an inaudible object. Though these characters are plastered across media in various fashions - sometimes without their blessing - they are really just a fragment of the people that you "watch" in your life.

Though you might not participate in the extracurricular activity of people watching, you do perform the task. You are keenly aware of the behaviors of your in-laws. Your heart is attune to the antics of your spouse and children. Your mind is processing coworkers’ motives and performance. Your spirit struggles with the matter of judgment you subconsciously place on those who are of great importance in your life. When you are in a crowd, you want to point out the situations or people who are not like you or are perplexing in your perspective. Likewise, people are watching you in the same way. Ooo, that just struck a sense of paranoia for you. When we are judged, one of our first instincts is to defend ourselves and attempt to give our backstory. The people making accusations of our behavior do not know our intentions or from where we are coming. They do not know what has happened in prior encounters of similar circumstances or who in our past has left us more complicated.

This same defense should be considered as we people watch. In Mark 5:24-34, we find a large crowd following a celebrity in which they all had similar interest. He was this new teacher that had come to challenge the uppity people of the church, so the lesser man was a fan and wanted to know this new guy. It was rumored he could heal the lame and sick, so to watch him might me you could get a glimpse of a miracle...an uncommon occurrence. I can imagine it would be similar to any situation in present day where a celebrity entered an area and everyone is trying to be near him, to get an autograph, to catch his eye, to touch him. During times like this, people tend to begin to view each other in a derogatory manner - shoving and pushing and snide remarks were most likely being exchanged. In the midst of this crowd was a woman who was like all of others, yet because of an illness she was marked. Judgment had been placed upon her. Yet she made her own observation of the celebrity. He was not just any rock star. She was not simply hoping he could remedy her status so she could be in the midst of the crowd again. He was the answer to over a decade of torture she had experienced both in physical lack of comfort and emotional and mental anguish that coincided with her outcast status. She knew by simply making contact with His elements - His clothing, not even His actual body - she would be changed and freed from her imprisonment.

He knew she was different. He knew why. Verse 29-30 states, "Immediately, her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'who touched my clothes?'" He knew who had done so. Yet he wanted the people to watch her. He wanted the people to take their attention off of Him and place it on the one they snubbed their noses. They were to watch the faith of the unlikely one and to ponder how their perception of Him might differ. She might see Him for more than just a passing star. She might see Him for who He truly was. IMMEDIATELY, their lives were changed forever.

So next time you are participating in your own version of people watching, remember there is an entirely different lifestory being written right before your eyes. The moment you are witnessing could change your life and/or their life immediately and forever.