so, this weekend I will be teaching at my church (call it preaching if you will)as I have mentioned before, this is extremely humbling (don't read as: Tyson thinks he's humble - read as: Tyson thinks he has little to no business doing this) and entirely sobering.
I plan on talking about hope.
I need hope.
I think there's probably 3 groups of people (let me pigeon-hole you - haha) in regards to hope:
1) those who see no need for hope, thinking life is what it is
2) those who have no hope, thinking life is sterile and bleak at best
3) those who have hope, thinking life is abundant and full at least
which one are you? or are you in another pigeon-hole altogether?
my friends and possibly enemies, there is hope and I need it.
I'm sorry (not out of pity) for those who have no hope. I'm sorry for those who see no need for hope.
I choose to (despite opposition) find my hope in Jesus. it's a choice I've made and continue to make.
call me crazy, call me pious, call me what you will.
this is not an easy choice - as “hope means hoping when things are hopeless, or it is no virtue at all.” - GK Chesterton.
now, don't get my wrong - many times I feel as though I bounce from one pigeon-hole to the next. yet, the person I desire and strive to be is one that finds hope.
today I choose to find hope.
7 comments:
I think any discussion of hope requires asking 'hope in what'? If it's hope that the weather will be sunny this weekend, I tend to fall into pigeon-hole 1. What happens happens. If it is hope that there will be world peace and everyone will one day live in harmony, I would fall into pigeon-hole 2. I know that this will never be a reality (although still a noble goal). But if we're talking about a hope that is rooted in an understanding that 'this too shall pass' and there is much to be thankful for and the world can indeed become a better place through persistence and effort, then yes, put me down for pigeon-hole 3.
Curtis - you bring eloquence to this blog.
Thank you for your ongoing insight.
RE: your comment on my blog... I can't tell if that was a backhanded compliment, an insult, or some combination of the two?
Ps. Thanks for the email.
most definitely not an insult.
ps. my pleasure
As with love, hope is not an emotion, but an action. The cause and effect sequence, however, is often less clear.
"yet, the person I desire and strive to be is one that finds hope."
Me too. I feel like I am a long way off of this.
I still don't know what to do with hope in my life. I certainly don't think it should follow that we should be blinded by it - but you don't propose that. But it is attractive, because it combats fear. And fear is a horrible thing.
I'm not sure that I have any reason to have hope. Except for the reality that fear is a horrible thing.
"All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let's live with hope." -- Nouwen
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