In South Africa, a standard greeting in the Zulu language is “Sawubona,” which means “I see you.” It’s more than “Hello”; it is the sense that one person sees another individually. Jesus modeled that behavior.
For example, some of the neediest people Jesus met were incredibly wealthy, but Jesus viewed them with the same compassion he had for the poor. For instance, in Mark 10:21, when Jesus meets a wealthy religious man, the Gospel of Mark highlights the encounter by telling us, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” Indeed, Jesus loved everyone, but this one required a spotlight. He pitied this man’s dependence on duty and material things as a path to God. He challenged him to surrender his attachment to what he equated with God’s blessings. He told a man who usually would be considered first in line for everything to give up his position and make room for others.
Liz Heinzel-Nelson, executive director of Villages in Partnership (VIP), shared a story last month at VIP’s anniversary gala that touched my heart. On one of her trips to Malawi, her plan was re-routed to a South African airport in the middle of the night. There were no divine “Sawubonas”; people were tired, angry, and ready to reach their destination. About 200 people, including parents with young children, the elderly, and the disabled, stood on a tarmac waiting for assistance at 12:30 a.m. After a few minutes, a 15-passenger van arrived. The driver confidently announced that he would transport everyone. You can do the math and imagine how long this would take. As the first passengers boarded, Liz stepped forward. “Can we all agree to allow the parents with children, elderly, and disabled to have the first place in line?” The crowd was silent. She shouted again with no response. The third time, a tattooed bearded man replied. He was a “Sawubona” man. He could see the people and see the need. “Let’s do this!” After a pause, another shouted, “Let’s do this!” Then another. They rearranged their places in line so that others could go first. After two hours, Liz boarded the last shuttle with her friend. With a smile on his face, he said, “We did it!”
This fall, nonprofits and churches mobilize to serve their communities and to offer a “Sawubona.” Our role is not just to see them and share with them but to offer them our place in line, to help them get to where they’re going ahead of us. We do so because we remember when Jesus looked at us. In his eyes, we saw someone like we’d never experienced before. He reminds us again, yes, Jesus really loves you.