There is something magical about hope. When hope arrives, everything changes. The darkness and pain around us seems lighter. The obstacles that were permanent become possibilities. Even the price being paid seems less important. You can feel the energy around and within you pick up. This is what hope does.
I watched hope wash over a team. Until that moment, it seemed as if they were fighting a losing battle. Everything seemed to be focused on what was not working. The gaps and barriers were getting wider and higher. Stretch was quickly becoming impossible. Then hope crept in when nobody was watching.
With hope coming from one event, triggered by one individual, it was as if a miracle worker had joined the team. Everyone looked at each other looking for confirmation. You could see the quiet chatter between friends and observations of surprise. It was as if David was whispering, providing live commentary; “The victim’s faint pulse picks up; the hearts of the hopeless pump red blood as you put your ear to their lips.” (Psalm 10.17)
As a new day begins I find myself looking at the challenges ahead. Who will be the catalyst for hope? Will anyone step up? I think I could do it, so why not me? The question is a bit haunting because the work we share as a team could be presented in multiple ways. I can see a hope-filled alternative. It is real. It is within our reach. I am not sure others see it, so maybe I am the one that can step up. Even if the solution is not the perfect one, it could be the foundation we could use to create a sense of possibilities.
There are real challenges ahead. The obstacles and challenges seem to be growing. Hope is the best option we have. We can include the challenges – motivating ourselves to take them on together. We can, and with Hope spurring me on, we will. Real sparks are hard to extinguish. They burn bright, looking for others to join them. Hope is like that.
