Language changes with time. Sometimes the language itself…and sometimes our usage or cultural understanding of it.

Take the ways in which Americans have spoken of those who are not average or normal in a mental, physical, or developmental sense. Generations ago, such people might have been labeled as simple, infirm, mad, or pitiful. When I was young, the term retarded was used interchangeably as a psychological label for certain children and adults and also informally to describe something that was foolish or dumb. Shortly after this, I often heard the word handicapped used to describe people who had a wide variety of conditions; we just stuck another adjective in front (such as physically or mentally) to specify which category of abnormality we were describing.

And now, the term I heard thrown around in every direction, especially for children and young adults is special needs. We don’t want to speak of people with limitations and possibly problematic conditions in a way that sounds remotely demeaning or negative. So we label them as special.

I am not poking fun at anyone; I write this in all seriousness. And I am not trying to say people with certain limitations should be denied needed assistance; yes, let we who are on the more average and normal end of the spectrum have understanding and compassion for them (and their caregivers).

What I am saying is: I find it ironic that we would now use the term special needs to refer to such individuals when we are all special in God’s sight and we all have needs in God’s sight. Only God sees each one of us with so much individual love and intimate understanding. And only God sees the needs we have that no one else knows about — or knows the depths of. (Arguably, even those people who are extremely dramatic and open about their needs often have even deeper needs that only God really understands and can fill.)

But being seen can be scary. Especially for those of us who are labeled as normal or average in our society, who are not listed as special needs individuals, and who try to hold it together for the sake of sticking out as admirable instead of sticking out as special.

And yet, for whatever cosmetics we may put on, fences we may put up, and virtual posts we may put out, we are still special, needy, frail, and limited.

Sometimes we need the reminder to stop running, hiding, purchasing, glossing, binging, or denying…and to stand still and openly before the One from whom we cannot hide.

And know that when we are seen by Him, we are truly and rightly seen.