Empty. Stagnant. Dark.
That’s how she described herself to me.
It was not only a series of events in her own life that brought her there, but an attack on all she valued personally in life.
We can all find things that need extra attention in our lives. Little things and big pile up so high they sometimes block the sun.
These days we need not look too far to see the darkness in the world slowly creeping in on whatever we consider to be a normal life.
Mistrust. Fear. Deceit. Lies. Death. Anger.
“Words you see in newspaper headlines, Alex”
“Correct!”
“I’ll take hope for $100.”
Sorry, hope may be in jeopardy, but you can’t buy hope.
Too bad.
I would have bought some for this woman.
I stopped at a restaurant this morning and had a little breakfast. I purchased a local paper hoping to get away from the national headlines. It’s impossible. When I was finished I approached the man at the register.
“How was everything?” He asked.
“Fine.”
“What do you sell?” He asked me.
My coffee hadn’t kicked in yet. I didn’t understand what he was asking.
“Sell? What do I sell?”
“You look like a salesman,” he said. “You must sell something.”
I looked around for a second, sighed and said, “Hope. I sell hope.”
It just came out of me. Now he looked confused.
I smiled and walked to my car.
I sat there for a moment thinking about what I just said. I glanced over to the seat next to me and saw the headlines again. “…Lied…Cover-up…9 died…”
No one can sell hope, but there is a crisis of hope in this world. In a nation built on hope it may appear to some that we have become hopeless.
Not so.
The dictionary defines hope as, “the feeling that what is desired is also possible, or that events may turn out for the best.”
It also includes the phrase, “hope against hope.” To continue to hope, although the situation does not warrant it.
Hope, I believe, is woven into the very fabric of faith.
Faith, in the religious sense, no matter the doctrine, is a combination of hope, belief and trust. One cannot be hopeless and have faith at the same time.
So, if I cannot sell hope then I must give it.
That brings up the other challenge. If I had hope to give, how would I do it?
One might argue that you can’t see hope, you can’t touch hope, you can’t hold hope or surely one cannot taste it.
To see hope, rise up early in the day to watch the sunrise. It is a promise kept.
To touch hope, take the hand of the elderly and listen to their story. They will give you hope.
To hold hope, cradle a baby in your arms. Babies are a confirmation of God’s vision for tomorrow.
To taste hope, weep for those who mourn the loss of a loved one. God is in your tear drops. God is hope.
So how would you give hope?
Help…those blinded by the darkness of despair to see the light of this day and point them toward the promise of a better tomorrow. Offer…your hand to someone who needs lifting up and your time to someone who thinks their time has run out. Profess. Share your faith. Faith and hope are the life blood of humanity. Example. Be the hope you want to see in the world. Live a hope-filled life and the lost and hopeless will follow.
“Hope in jeopardy?”
“I’ll take faith in God, Alex.”
“Correct!”
And so I Helped that woman by Offering my hand, Professing my faith in God and served as an Example.
“I Hope you had a good day.” Charlie Gibson ABC news
Bob Perks 2believe@comcast.net