My eyes, My eyes! Reasons we look away

Photo by Mean Shadows on Unsplash

This has always been a phrase we use in our family when we can't "unsee" something.  MY EYES, MY EYES!!  It is said in good humor...usually after we have seen someone run through in a bath towel or walked in on someone accidentally.   There might be a variation involving "yikes" or OHHH, or some other exclamation of surprise when we are forced to get a glance of something shocking....I produce that sort of response just from my bedhead alone!

There is a great problem that I just can't "unsee".  It is shocking and ugly and I want to shout "MY EYES, MY EYES"!! I've already taken a look now, though.  I turned my head and stared. No turning back. My awareness is forever set.  I cannot look away.  I guess if you have read my blogs before or know me personally, you know this "thing" of which I speak.  Kids.  I can't turn away.  Nope.  Just keep looking.  Watching.  Crying.


I've thought of a few possible reasons we  might choose to  look the other way:


1) We look away because we don't want to know.  Ignorance is truly bliss.  If we don't know that there are thousands of children who enter the foster  system who are victims of horrendous crimes against them, then, well, we don't feel the need to help.  If as pastors and community leaders, we don't mention the problem, then maybe it will go away, or maybe there will be no expectation on us to make a difference.  Let's not mention it.  It makes people feel uncomfortable.  People are over burdened as it is, so let's not make it worse.

2) We look away because we feel helpless.  The problem is so insurmountable, we can't possibly make a difference.  It certainly feels that way sometime.  I guarantee those who work in the foster care field most definitely will feel that way on a daily basis.  It is a helpless feeling to see such great need and to know your time, resources, people, energy, and power to help are all limited.  Why is the turn over so great among case workers who work within the system to help children?  This.  They start out with a desire to help children and after a while, the daily grind of NOT being able to meet their needs wears on their very being and they decide they too have to look away.  Or at least pretend they didn't see.

Photo by iam Se7en on Unsplash

3) We look away because we are broken ourselves.  Hurting people, hurt people.  Heard that before?  It's true.   All of us have baggage;  things that we need to work through, forgive...heal.  Those  who have been hurt by others might have a hard time helping someone else heal. We have to work on healing and patching our own wounds so that we will be able to bandage up the wounds of others.  Hard to pour anything out from a vessel full of holes.

4) We look away because we are too busy looking at ourselves.  Oh how I would love to "nice" this up a bit.  I hate pointing out the negatives of our culture and would so prefer to relish in what we are doing RIGHT.  But, for the sake of kids, I'm going to put this out there.  We are a selfie generation.  It is hard to point the camera lens at other things when it is always zoomed at ourselves.  Hard to broaden the scope of what we see as our own family's needs to include others.

Looking into the lens of the camera and choosing to turn it towards those in need takes courage.  Really seeing the real picture and choosing to not look away takes strength.  I am surrounded by
people who have chosen to look.
To stare into the face of children and NOT turn their backs.
To glare back at the insurmountable problem and while, still feeling incredibly overwhelmed, trust that there has to be a way to make a difference.
To look and to care.

Every wound healed. Every child, a home.