“God, why are you not blessing what we’re doing?” Answer: “Because you are doing it on your terms versus on mine.” “Lord, we’re showing up for church every Sunday. We’re having our quiet times. We’re being decent parents. Where’s the blessing?”

Answer: “You are in, but only partially. What I really long for is not religious observance but just and compassionate action. How are you treating your employees? Do you even see the hungry around you? Do you ever invite someone in need into your home? Do you ever give someone clothes who needs them?”

“Nobody needs that stuff. This is America.” Answer: “Look again.”

Whenever I read this passage my mind goes back to one glorious morning at 33 Stephan Razina in Irkutsk. We were new missionaries. The Director of our mission’s social concern ministry had come in to give us some training. He focused on this passage. One of the things he said was this: “When you come upon a homeless person, look them in the eye. Just by doing that you are extending dignity to them. Then ask their name. They will share it with you, because they know you are seeing them. Then start a conversation, using their name.”

This is so simple yet so profound. As a team, we started doing that with everyone. We would look them in the eye, learn their name and use their name. It’s amazing the doors that opened, from homeless people on the street all the way up to the President of the Russian Bible Society.

Our light started to break forth like the dawn. Yours can too!