Hope and Dreams - November 2008
There's been a lot of talk about hope lately. Two days ago, our nation elected an African-American to the highest office in the land. Whatever your political views or how you voted, it was impossible not to notice the racial significance of this election. The emotion of hope fulfilled was written large on so many faces in the joyous crowds seen on TV. As a people and nation we have taken a huge step away from a time where achievement was limited by the color of your skin. We are no longer are willing to throw away the talents and skills of people just because they look different. Excuses for failure have gone out of style and when we say to our children that in America anyone can grow up to be President, we no longer just mean anyone who is white and male.
The hope and joy of a dream realized made me reflect about hope. Hope is not passive. It usually is fulfilled only when we work towards our goals. Whether or not you agree with President-elect Obama on the issues, it is apparent that he is an extremely self-disciplined and dedicated worker. Usually, things we hope for don't just fall out of the sky - we must work for them.
What does hope mean in a religious context? It means being aware of the spiritual truth that Christ has promised a better world to those who are His. Knowing this, Christian hope can sustain us through trials of faith, human tragedies or difficulties that can be overwhelming.
Christian hope isn't only an emotion, but an attitude. It means we do not give in to despair, because we are assured that in the end, God will make all things right. But hope isn't blind faith and doesn't excuse us from doing the work. Hope means rejecting the traps of fear and division, and instead working toward a world in which the precepts Jesus taught aren't just platitudes, but actually reflect how we treat other people.
Hope: Something worth living for
This article was submitted by Mary G.
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