The 1987 movie "Suspect" stars Cher and Dennis Quaid, as well as other fairly well-known actors. It is a courtroom drama (with other elements) set in Washington, D.C., with witness testimony as a fairly riveting part of what we see.
In one exchange, a police detective is in the witness stand. A homeless person has been accused of murder, and the testimony is in regard to the homeless population:
Attorney: Detective, would you say we have an abnormal amount of homeless?
Detective: Yes, I would.
Attorney: I see them across from the White House in Lafayette Square.
Detective: We've cleared most of 'em out It just doesn't look good.
Attorney: Anywhere else?
Detective: Yes, Union Station. We have a real problem there.
Other Attorney: Objection. Where is the defense going with this?
Judge: I'll let it continue. I'm interested in seeing where she's going myself.
Attorney: Thank you, Your Honor. Now, you said Union Station. When I take the train, I never see any homeless people there.
Detective: You really have to look. We've cleared most of 'em out. So now they us the old Railway Express building.
I have highlighted the point I am trying to make. The attorney says that she rarely sees any homeless people at Union Station. The detective responds "You really have to look".
How much do we miss because we're not really looking? How much of what we don't want to see do we not see simply because we're not wanting to see? How intentional are we about really looking?
It seems to me that this applies directly to seeing God. How intentionally do we look to see God at work in the world? How much do we notice the beauty and wonder and reliability of the world around us and see the hand of God in it? How focused are we on noticing the image and likeness of God in anyone we look at--including a homeless person (maybe PARTICULARLY including a homeless person)? And how aware are we of our own actions as expressing our own role in what God is doing--or our own attitudes as reflective of what our awareness of God would guide us to do and be? If we're uncertain of how we ought to be and what we ought to do, then we need to look at--and look to--Jesus, because as John's gospel reminds us, "No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known" (John 1:18).
We really have to look. And we really need to be aware that others are looking at us. Focus!
John 1:14-18
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
Matthew 25:31-45
31‘ When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40 And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44 Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45 Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”