Invisible to Man, Seen by God

A Woman on the Streets of São Paulo

Yesterday, as we toured the city, I got to know the streets of São Paulo, Brazil. As we sat in the van, waiting at what felt like an endlessly long traffic light, my eyes were drawn to a woman standing on the corner.

Her hair was pulled into small, disheveled pigtails, stray gray strands escaping in different directions. She wore a wrinkled purple shirt and light-colored pants, both worn with visible dirt and stains. Strapped to a small silver basket were what seemed to be all of her belongings—some packed into a luggage container, others wrapped in crinkled black trash bags.

She spoke—soft murmurs, indistinct words—as if engaged in conversation with someone I couldn’t see. Others walked past her, deliberately widening their path to avoid getting too close. She remained there, unnoticed, invisible to those who had grown accustomed to looking past her.

I wondered about her life before this moment.

• Had she once had a home, a family, a place of belonging?

• Had she been seen, truly seen, by someone who loved her?

And then, in that small moment, as I sat watching from behind a window, I prayed.

I prayed for her life, her mind, her circumstances.

I prayed for her healing, her deliverance, and for her to know Jesus.

I prayed for all those who walked by without a second glance, for their hearts to be moved with compassion.

Because no matter how small her place on that corner may seem in this world, I know this:

To God, she matters. To God, we all matter.

The God Who Sees

This moment reminded me of Hagar’s story in Genesis 16. Hagar was a woman cast aside, unseen by those around her, left to wander in the wilderness feeling abandoned and alone. But in her lowest moment, God met her there.

• He called her by name.

• He acknowledged her pain.

• He provided her with direction and hope.

Hagar, overwhelmed by this divine encounter, gave God a name that resonates deeply:

“You are the God who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

Her story reminds us that no one is invisible to God. Not the forgotten, not the rejected, not the ones dismissed by society. He sees the ones on the street corners, the ones overlooked in crowds, the ones who whisper prayers of desperation in the silence of their hearts.

He sees you.

Whatever wilderness you find yourself in—whether it’s loneliness, struggle, or feeling unseen by the world—God is near. Just as He met Hagar in the desert, He meets us in our struggles, speaking life and hope into the chapters of our lives.

Even when we can’t see the outcome, we can trust that God is writing our story, leading us toward healing and purpose.

Every Chapter Matters

When I saw that woman in São Paulo, I didn’t know her story. But I knew that God did.

And just as He saw her standing on that street corner, He sees you in whatever season you are walking through.

• Every part of your journey matters to Him.

• Every prayer, every tear, every hope held in quiet desperation.

• He is near, and He is working, even when you can’t yet see it.

And maybe, just maybe, the moments we feel the most alone are the moments when God is actually the closest—whispering,

“I see you. I know you. And I am with you.”