By Mark Walz
In Paul’s famous thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, he says that there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love. In particular, love has received a great deal of focus, especially in marriage and family. We talk a great deal about faith. And when it comes to marriage and family life, love takes a central place. Hope, though, is also a grave and important element which can be critical to the enduring strength and resiliency of a family. Given the nature of discord and the frequent temptation to dissolve difficult relationships, family needs hope more than ever.
Furthermore, the discussion and inclusion of hope in Paul’s letter was a direct refutation of Greek philosophy of life. In a famous myth, we find a box with numerous evils opened by Pandora. The last evil which flew out of her box was hope. The Greeks believed the worst thing in life was false hope; and that all hopes are false. Many today believe this same thing. However, it is critical to know that the Christian does not view things this way.
For the Christian, hope is a good and eternal gift. It is the one thing that can keep a family together in crisis. It is the one thing that can cut through despair. Though life and especially relationships can be dark and unclear, hope can keep a man present, a woman engaged, a child encouraged. Through cracked hearts, the hope of the Christian can open a way for God to enter in, and to heal any hurt and strengthen a weakened relationship.
As we continue our series on the path to a strong family, I hope you can join us as we talk about the unique role that hope plays.
See you Sunday!
In Christ
Mark