I typically loathe the kind of cliche sentiment and trite sayings that are often uttered with the purest of intentions but fail to convey anything of actual substance or encouragement. I have, however, taught my kids one fave – “don’t yuck my yum!” This has cut down on a LOT of bickering between kids and whining at me over their dinner plates. Besides that one, I reject most inspirational platitudes — it’s just my overanalytical, slightly cynical heart at work.

Okay, I also admit to one other exception: “Be kind to everyone, for you never know who is fighting an unseen battle.”

This one makes sense to me when it’s shared with someone who needs to watch their tone, expectations, or treatment of others. I’m always on board for reminders to be kind.

Plus, it’s true, isn’t it? There are things happening behind the scenes in our lives all the time. Literally all. the. time. Whether it’s illness or raising teenagers or struggling with finances. Caretaking a parent or partner, walking through a crisis of faith, or having a child we just can’t seem to connect with. Issues with coworkers, major company changes, or team and role shifts.

All things that greatly impact our day-to-day, and yet we process silently. These are the situations and experiences that we can’t share out loud for so, so many valid and necessary reasons – not to mention that sometimes we just have to work it out in our own hearts, between us and Jesus. There’s a fine line between transparency and oversharing.

There is always, always more to people than meets the eye. In fact, even as I share pieces of my life publicly here with you and on Instagram, and with my family and friends, over the last year, I have walked through nearly every example listed above. Betcha didn’t know that. 😉 And that’s ok. I have processed it quietly in all the ways – but offline.

I’m just one person with a small sphere, and I carry a multitude of stories. So do you. So does the person beside you. So does the one you cross paths with.

Our hearts are always carrying a heavier load than what our hands hold.

And then one day, you receive a rude email when kindness could have been used. A snippy comment, unprompted and unnecessary. A big ask, no actual question in sight, only an assumption of acceptance. A judgy neighbor or assumptive mom at the park. An unthoughtful… anything.

Oof. Can’t you feel it in your gut right now, just reading those examples? When your world is imploding, and then someone is unkind, it can be the final straw. For me, that means a royal meltdown, deep processing time with my husband, a handful of M&M’s, and a flurry of texts to my besties. For some, it can lead to destructive behaviors and unhealthy coping strategies.

Wherever and whenever unkindness finds you, it strikes the heart and cuts to the bone. It can make us feel alone, isolated, and so very small.

It makes me think of a woman in Scripture. One who has been overlooked and judged and even exiled for that which is unseen – she has been bleeding for twelve years. Can you imagine?? Many of us bleed monthly — yet another thing we don’t often talk about — but here’s a woman who bled for twelve years. Imagine her reception in the time of Jesus, when in 2025 we still don’t really talk about body issues and illness.

She makes her way to Jesus, through crowds of hopeful people and dust, hoping to clutch His robe.

Yes. That was her big, bold goal – to merely touch the hem of Jesus’ robe.

A handful of fabric. That’s it. Not only is that how deeply she believes in His healing power, but at the same time, it’s all she believes she’s worth. Not worth being seen, not worth being noticed, not worth being spoken to, not even worth being looked at.

If she just grazes the hem as it drags on the ground, trailing behind Him, she knows He won’t even need to look at her.

But Jesus never lets any of His children remain unseen. None of us is ever unknown.

She touches the edge of His robe and is immediately healed; Jesus knows something happened. Here’s the part of the story that makes me teary:

Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. Then he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.”
Luke 8:47-48 NIV

She sees that she cannot go on unnoticed. Not by Jesus, and no longer by the crowd that had ignored her so completely that she’d been able to approach Him, to get near enough to brush His garment when His own mother couldn’t even get through (Luke 8:19 NIV). What a shocking change of pace for this nameless woman! And then, on top of being seen, she was healed. Her life was forever altered; her whole world was changed.

Christ’s presence alone can heal us. When we are too overcome to be seen, we can simply cling to the hem of His robe. He doesn’t require a backstory or explanation or reason or justification. He just requires our proximity and our faith in Him.

Today, may we show kindness to everyone, remembering that they could be trying to elbow their way through the crowd to brush His holy garment, running on faith and hope alone. May we realize we are worthy of being noticed. And may the One who heals all hearts do so for yours.

 

Listen to Anna’s devotion here or on your fave podcast app!

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