the look- part 2

"Each of the gospels reveals a Christ who ate with people, attended parties, drank with people, prayed with people, traveled with people, and worked with people. I can't imagine He would do this unless he actually like people and cared about them. ...
I kept wondering about people who met Christ who were losers, the crippled, blind, the woman at the well. entire communities had shunned them and told them they were no good, but God the King of the universe, comes walking down the street, looks them in the eye, holds their hands, embraces them, eats at their tables, in their homes, for all the town to see. That must have been the greatest moment of their lives.
It is true that it is a powerful occurrence to have somebody look you in the eye and say you are worth something. "

by Donald Miller from Searching for God Knows What

Noah and i were talking again today about the look. When it occurred to me that Jesus has the look.

i have been embraced and set free because Jesus, " Emmanuel, God with us," looked at me.

Jesus tried to catch my attention for years. i'd glance at him from time to time, but to be honest i never let him cup my face in his hands and look me right in the eyes. i couldn't. because of little girl walls, shame, pride... for too many reasons i just couldn't.
but he kept pursuing. and just a few years ago, it happened, i stopped glancing, and allowed him to look at me, broken and can't-pretend-to-have-it-together-anymore, me. and do you know what he told me, "you are worthy."

something happens to you when Jesus looks at you and tells you who you are... you believe it.