Children of Hope

Christians are not waiting for the end of the world but for the new world of God's kingdom on earth. We are not the children of despair; that is, of darkness; we are the children of hope, that is, of light. As such we have the assignment to encourage one another in living faithful, holy lives as we await Christ's return (J. Ellsworth Kalas, Adult Bible Studies, Spring 2013)

How often do you hear, or say, or think, "What is the world coming to?" I don't have to point out to you the despair that is all around us. We all see it. We see drug addiction, hate crimes, terrorism, dishonesty, selfishness, pain and suffering. We see it, and we suffer from it, and we fear it.

But we are not children of despair.

What does it mean to be children of hope? How do we bring light to the world around us?

I think the way to start, when we are surrounded by depair, is to open our eyes to the light that others are shining around us. Look and see the person who is helping in flood recovery. Notice the stranger who offers a hand to the person who is downtrodden, and lifts her up. Pay attention to the friends who are smiling, who offer encouragement, who share the stories of the light. Listen for the actions of God amid the despair, because you can be certain God is there.

And then what? Help. Serve. Encourage. Shine.