Luke 13:10-12, “Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years and was bent over and could not straighten herself up. But Jesus saw her, and He called her to Him…”

She is remembered as a crippled, bent-over woman. Her name has not only been lost to the pages of history, but most people probably didn’t know her two thousand years ago. Was she a regular attendee at the synagogue, or did she providentially happen to be there on this day? She is recognized and remembered for her condition, not her name.

She was most likely viewed through eyes of pity. The religious leaders probably thought she was in this condition because either she or her parents had sinned. It would not be the first time they felt this way. Her life was probably filled with pain and shame. No one paid attention to her or saw her. But Jesus saw her. When Jesus called her, she may have thought He meant someone else. But Jesus was speaking to her, and she slowly shuffled toward Him, a woman who needed someone to care for her. Jesus saw her. How do we see people?