Has Hope Left the Building?

Most people experience times in their lives when they think their situation couldn’t possibly get any worse. There are certain situations where we are tempted to say: “There just isn’t any hope left”.

Have you ever thought about the most pressing questions that you would ask Jesus when you have the privilege to see Him face to face? My top two questions will be: “What did you draw/write on the sand when the Pharisees brought the woman to you when she was caught committing adultery?”, and the other one would be: “Why couldn’t you just give all people the same set of circumstances? Why are some people brought into this world in more favourable circumstances, while others seem to have gotten a raw deal?”.

I have recently been reminded of something that is quite common in South Africa; but it is something that I have not really experienced firsthand myself. About 150 000 children in South Africa are believed to be living in child-headed households. The main reason for this is children who have lost their parent/s to AIDS. Many of these children are victims of sexual offences: about 20 000 children are abused sexually per year. Read the the full article about orphaned children in South Africa by UNICEF here.

When I read the above statistics, I was tempted to say: “There just isn’t any hope left.” Many people feel, at some stage in their life, that all this “keep the faith” talk really amounts to nothing.

I recently spoke with an elderly man staying in my community. What I did not know about this man, was that his father passed away when he was still a toddler, and his mother before he was fourteen years old. With only an eighteen year old brother left, he dropped out of school and stayed wherever friends and family would take him in for short periods of time.

During this time, he started doing his apprenticeship as an electrician and managed to get by each month. Before he turned eighteen, he was a professional electrician. He has been a great father and husband to his wife and children.

Yesterday, it was announced that Geoffrey Toyana will be the first black cricket coach for a franchise team in South Africa. Toyana grew up in Soweto. After his appointment, he commented that he hopes that it is an example to others in the townships.

Stories like these serve as a reminder to us that the future is never too bleak to lose hope. I think we sometimes tend to find our identity in our weakness and struggles. If my identity is based on my less-than-desirable circumstances or the less-than-desirable things in my character that I just can’t seem to shake, it appears that my world is a giant hole, that I will never be able to get out of.  

Acknowledging your weakness is a good thing; in fact, followers of Christ will not make it in this world if we are not real about our weaknesses and struggles (whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual). But there is a big difference between acknowledging the fact that we are weak and basing our identity on our weaknesses.

We live in a world filled with variables. A single incident can change my world dramatically. Amidst all the variables and uncertainties, one thing is certain: who I am and who I am bound to, is found in my relationship with Christ. Nothing can separate me from His love.

There is hope. Lots of it.

Where situations seem hopeless, people are craving for hope. The fact that you are able to read this blog, suggests to me that you are probably (in some respects) a privileged person. Not perfect, but privileged. Don’t lose hope. And don’t keep the Hope that you have found to yourself.