I have this dog; well, actually I have four now, but one is especially unhealthy. First, Poppy went blind when she was a puppy; nobody could figure out why. Then she got pneumonia. This was followed by urinary tract infections. Currently, she is in a dark place. Her tummy hurts; she is lethargic; she throws up and pees on the floor. While the rest of the pack galumphs around her, she lies inert, her unseeing eyes somehow expressing her discomfort. You might think this is to be expected at her age, but her age is four. It may be a small suffering compared to the tragedies all around us, but it is still hard to watch.
Where do we find hope in dark times? Obviously, our greatest hope is in Christ, but there are indirect sources of hope as well, Christ-followers being the foremost. Or at least, we should be. In fact, encouraging the church is one of our most critical functions. As mirrors reflect the light of a lamp, so we need to reflect hope to others, and we need to take the job seriously.
One way we can do this is by making it a priority to pay attention to the people around us. Somehow, just knowing we’re seen and heard can be magically energizing. And it doesn’t take a lot of time to say, “Hello, how are you?” and stop and listen to the reply. Acknowledging the value of another person is agreeing with God that they matter. We all matter.
Lately, observing encouragers has been a source of hope in itself; it is powerful evidence that God is working in the here and now. I have a friend who is in constant pain but still manages to teach and counsel and radiate the love of Christ. Just seeing her walk through the door makes me feel more hopeful. But even when her jolly laugh ceases and pain makes her cry, I know that her hope is in Christ and that strengthens me. There is camaraderie and comfort to be found in a shared hope. When the church does its job, we are reminded that hard times, even death, do not have the last word.
As we see the violence and the destructive philosophical nonsense in our world, it is tempting to assume we can’t make a difference. Darkness, which diffuses in all directions, is a paralyzing force. What can we do to combat it? I’ve come to a conclusion: hope happens when I believe what is good and true, and act upon it, regardless of the outcome. In Christ, I have the power to do this. While I am too small to change the whole world, I am not too small to make a difference to those nearby. A little lighted match makes a marvelous difference in a dark room.
