As Birgitta, Emerald, and I flew from Florida to Michigan on Monday, our 3 suitcases went a different route than we did. I glanced back after our curb-side check-in, just to be sure all 3 pieces of luggage made it to the conveyor belt, because we had high hopes of seeing them again at baggage claim.

They made it, and we did, too.

Later that night when I opened my suitcase to unpack, I found a note left inside by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Apparently they’d taken the liberty of opening my bag and digging around inside for contraband, and they wanted to let me know that.

It said, “At the completion of the inspection, the contents were returned to your bag.” It’s a bit unsettling to picture a stranger pawing through my personal effects without my permission, but nobody asked.

Then again, nobody asks any of us if they can inspect us as we go through life, and many people are doing that. We’re all being watched by someone, parents by their children, teachers by their students, neighbors by other neighbors, clergy by church members, and even strangers by strangers. People are inspecting us, whether we give them permission or not.

But it goes the other way, too: each of us is watching others.

I remember as a young mom carefully observing women who were a bit ahead of me in their child rearing, watching carefully how they handled their babies. I had many questions, and seeing how they did things helped immensely. As I watched, I learned.

Jesus knew we’d have the need to watch the examples of others, so he saw to it that the Bible was written accordingly. Its pages are filled with stories of people he wants us to observe, hoping we’ll discern which ones we should emulate and which examples we should shun.

But people aren’t the only ones doing the watching. God is, too, not because he needs an example to follow but because he wants to help us. In other words, he’s watching over us much like a shepherd watches over his flock. For those of us being watched over, this is a priceless gift. He’s keeping track of us, is listening to our cries, and is surrounding us with his care. Our desire, then, ought to be wisdom-living that pleases him, which is the natural response to his loving watchfulness over us.

TSA was watching me by inspecting my luggage, and thankfully they found nothing illegal inside. What they did find was a suitcase overflowing with stinky, dirty laundry: poopy baby outfits, dirty socks, spit-up-on bibs, used underwear, and the like. Maybe I should have left my own note for TSA:

“Inspect if you dare.”

“The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers.” (1 Peter 3:12)