Parshat Vayeira: Seeing is Believing

Genesis 22:14

וַיִּקְרָ֧א אַבְרָהָ֛ם שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא יְהֹוָ֣ה ׀ יִרְאֶ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ יֵאָמֵ֣ר הַיּ֔וֹם בְּהַ֥ר יְהֹוָ֖ה יֵרָאֶֽה׃ 

And Abraham named that site “the Lord will see” which why it is said, On the mount of the LORD there is vision
 

They say seeing is believing. This is true in more than one way:

To be close to God means to see the bigger picture. We are told that on God’s mountain there is vision. Indeed, everything looks smaller from a mountain top. When we think about the grandeur, the vastness of God and the universe, the billions of years that have transpired leading to this moment, we are struck with awe. Big problems feel like small problems, and small problems vanish against the magnitude of creation. The vision from God’s mountain is one of intense perspective. 

When we feel close to God, there is also vision on a more personal scale. One of the first things God says to Moses in Egypt is that God has seen their suffering. How comforting to know that pain does not go unnoticed. When we see the pain of others- as simple as that sounds – we are bringing God into this world. When we feel seen, our burdens do not feel quite as heavy. Big problems seem smaller, and small problems vanish. When we turn toward the pain of others and acknowledge each other’s struggles, we are doing God’s work. Seeing is believing, because seeing means bringing God into the world.