Invisible People

Every day I walk this street

On my way to start the day.

Head held high, I pass them by

Those invisible to my eye.

Hidden lives I do not know

Pain and Sorrow that I miss.

The hopes and joys I do not share

Stories that I’ll never hear.

What if I opened my eyes today?

What if I actually cared?

What if I let these hearts touch mine?

What if my soul was bared?

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Would it hurt me to know the grocery man,

Or the one who delivers my mail?

Would I be disturbed if they’re struggling?

Could I bear to hear their sorrow?

How would I feel if the cleaning lady

Has an Ivy League degree.

Who gave it all up to marry a man,

Sitting at home lost in his whiskey?

What would I do if the man on the corner,

The worthless, homeless bum.

Turned out to be a war hero,

Brave and true to the end.

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What if the waitress at my coffee shop,

Is working two other jobs.

To pay the bills and save her son,

Who’s crippled and needs special care.

What if the rumor came out about town,

That I talked to the pizza boy.

Whose father turns out to be a millionaire,

Ashamed that his son’s not like him.

I can’t help them, I don’t know what to do.

How could I ease their pain?

I know I’d fall short or say the wrong thing

Or just become overwhelmed.

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But maybe they won’t expect me to fix

All of their problems and trials

What if they’re lonely just like me

And all they want is a friend

I can smile and I can wave

And I can lend an ear

I can take the time to chat

I can make the effort to care

Opening up is risky of course

And what do I have to lose?

Laughter and love and friends that care

Good times to be shared?

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Jesus spoke to the woman at the well

His disciples were surprised

For in the culture of that day

She was invisible to everyone

But Jesus cared and he chose her

A person of little importance to men

A woman that no one loved

To bring his news to them all

She was important in His sight

Like all invisible people

And she was worthy of His love

As much as anyone

So if I look at the world through his eyes

There’s so much more to see

I’ll discover the hidden gems

When I see all the invisible people.