Although
I try not to be shocked by the things I see these days, I was caught
off-balance by the message on the woman’s T-shirt as she walked past me in the
mall. The bold letters declared: “Hope Is For Suckers.” Certainly, being naïve
or gullible can be foolish and dangerous. Disappointment and heartache can be
the tragic offspring of unfounded optimism. But not allowing oneself to have
hope is a sad and cynical way to view life.
Biblical
hope is unique; it’s a confident trust in God and what He is doing in the world
and in our lives. That’s something everyone needs! The writer to the Hebrews
clearly stated the importance of hope when he wrote, “Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb.
10:23).
Having
biblical hope is not foolish, because it has a strong foundation. We hold fast
to the hope we have received in Christ because our God is faithful. He can be
trusted with anything and everything we will ever face—both for today and
forever. Our hope is grounded in the trustworthy character of the God who loves
us with an everlasting love. So, the T-shirt had it wrong. Hope is not for
suckers; it’s for you and for me!
Hope that
has its foundation in God will not crumble under the pressures of life. (RBC)
