Come and See

Through a conversation with her sister and time spent with Scripture, Jen Scheuermann experiences what it means to be seen and chosen.

An Invitation from a Friend

I looked across the cafe table at my sister, Kate, and watched as tears filled her eyes. Her friend had recently died, and though she’d lived her entire life with a chronic illness and spent the past few weeks in the hospital, somehow her death still felt unexpected. Considering this person’s life and how she’d generously poured out her heart, loving and serving God and those around her, her death also felt wrong and unfair. She seemed too good to die, too … holy. My sister was heartbroken, and I knew there were no words that would ease her pain. 

So I listened, giving her room to speak.

My sister had first met her friend, Leigh, more than twenty years ago during high school. The two remained friends through college and beyond, but I learned that day my sister was always part of Leigh’s bigger, outer circle of friends; she wasn’t in Leigh’s smaller, core friend group. But shortly before her death, Leigh had invited a few friends to visit her at the hospital–and my sister had been included. Kate’s sorrow momentarily transformed into joy as she reflected on this detail. Her face beamed as she recalled that Leigh had wanted her presence in the hospital room that day. Being chosen by the friend she respected and loved made her feel seen and special. She was humbled and honored. And for a moment, her tears were more than tears of grief; they were also tears of joy and gratitude. 

An Invitation from Jesus

Later that evening I closed the door to my room and picked up my Bible. It was my first night on a silent retreat, and in his opening remarks the priest suggested we pray with a passage in John’s Gospel where Jesus calls His first disciples. I’ve read this passage countless times in the past, and always, the verse where Jesus asks His future disciples what they are looking for catches my attention. Until that night, however, when I sensed a different verse calling my name.

So I listened, this time giving Jesus room to speak.

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Jesus’ future disciples had just asked Him where He was staying, and for the first time ever I noticed all the ways Jesus did not respond. He didn’t name a region of town, answering their question while keeping His distance. He didn’t recite an address so they could try and find Him later, on their own. He didn’t rush their encounter so He could do more important things. Rather, He invited them to come with Him and see. And this response revealed a deep desire of His heart: He wanted to spend time with them. He wanted to be in their company. He desired their presence.

Sitting there, picturing this scene, I slowly came to understand what Jesus most wanted me to know: He feels the very same way about me. 

Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. (John 1:38-39)

A sense of déjà vu washed over me as my sister’s face — radiant from the realization that her friend desired her presence in the hospital room — flashed before my eyes. And in that moment, Kate's joy and gratitude at being seen and chosen, along with all of her tears, became mine.

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