Have you ever given someone hope? I have. How did you do it? Did you do it on your own? I did not. Did someone help you? Was it a friend or family member? I would love to share how I learned to give hope to someone.
I have realized over my life that part of my responsibilities is to bring hope to others. The reason I believe this is because Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (ESV) I would say that this is a very important statement. The second one is that I am to love my neighbor. Last week I gave a definition of love and if I insert that definition of love into this passage, it helps me understand what real love can look like. I would say that I am to have a steadfast zeal for the true good of my neighbor.
Part of loving others, I believe, is to give comfort to my neighbors when they are in need. I can do this because I have received comfort from others too. I needed to be comforted when my wife Laura committed suicide. I believe that because I was comforted, I have learned how to comfort others and should pass it on. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV) I found part of the comfort I received was a new boost of hope. “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” 1 Peter 3: 14-15 (ESV) Even though I do not believe I suffered for righteousness sake, I suffered none the less and was given hope from God during that time, and now I get to pay it forward by being prepared to give hope to others.
Similarly, like the prophet Isaiah I am a person of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and I should desire to share hope with others. There are two passages that I think directly to my efforts to share in kindness, hope with others. In addition, scripture tells us, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV) “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” 2 Timothy 2:24-25 (ESV).
These passages help to explain how I can give hope to others. I have noticed they talk about how to do it. They do not tell me to jump up and down and make a big fuss. They do not tell me to shout it from the rooftop. But rather, they speak to me using the relationship word. I am to be ready to tell others about the hope that is in me. When was the last time a random person in an elevator asked where did you get so much hope? My guess is that it never happened. I know for me that question was asked of me shortly after Laura’s death. Colossians tells me that I must be wise when I speak with grace seasoned with salt. Second Timothy tells me I must be gentle.
The conclusion of my thoughts on sharing hope is that I cannot do it on my own, I need the Holy Spirit’s gifts “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) I have noticed that all these can be applied to speaking to others. I need to be prepared. I need to be wise. I need to be gracious and gentle.
Join me in bringing hope to the people around you. Understanding the greatest thing we have to offer is knowledge that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) However, if you do not know Jesus you must first accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord then you need to ask the Holy Spirit to tame our tongue. This will allow us to bring hope as opposed to destroying hope. At the same time understanding that you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and this what brings the greatest hope all because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfying the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, in the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.
You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google
