Ralph Ellison’s novel The Invisible Man was published in 1952 and was almost immediately a best-seller and won national book awards. Ellison’s book chronicles the story of a young, African American young man and his life’s journey. In the prologue to the story, Ellison wrote for his protagonist, “I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me.” It is a powerful line and one that resonates throughout the story. 

There are all kinds of “invisible people” in the world. They, like Ellison’s character, are invisible because people refuse to see them. One of my favorite names for God is found in Genesis 16 in the story of Hagar and Ishmael fleeing from Sarah. God is called “El Roi” in verse thirteen, which means “the God who sees.” There are so many people in our world who are…