By Kat Silverglate Founder, Copyright 2020
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12.
We’ve all been there, right? Sick with longing in a hopeless time. Praying. Wondering when the light will bust through the darkness. Someone shows up with a meal when we’re out of food or a ride when our tank is empty or a phone call when we’re desperately alone and we find the hope rise in us once again -- like a tree full of vibrant leaves. A glance up or an audible “Thank God,” affirms the suspected miracle worker behind it all. Fulfillment of hope is nothing short of miraculous to the hopeless. It’s life!
Perhaps now, more than ever, as we hunker down for a second Covid wave, it isn’t so hard to see heart sickness everywhere. The air is thick with longing. Here’s the irony. When we defer giving hope to others. When we hold back because we don’t know how to do it perfectly or we are afraid we’ll offend or we think to ourselves, “what difference will that make” -- it makes us sick. We long for God. To see His face. To move where He’s moving.
The King in the parable of the sheep and goats tells His followers:
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to
visit me.’
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Matthew 25:35-36; 40.
Who is this “you?” Really, who is Jesus talking to? He’s talking to us. To me. To you.
What if you aren’t the only one feeling a little shy about bringing hope right now? A little stuck on where to start or what to do? What if others feel the same way. What if they talk themselves out of reaching out too. What if all they needed was an invitation from someone like you? An invitation to bring hope at Thanksgiving?
Our Mobile Mission: In your pack this month, you’ll find six stickers like the ones you see pictured on this page. The sticker reads:
“Let’s be ridiculous together.
I want to bring HOPE to others, but I talk myself out of it. “What difference will it make?” “It’s small compared to…” “It seems intrusive.”
Still, the hopelessness out there convinces me that it’s time to do SOMETHING. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Proverbs 13:12.
I have an idea, you in?
You can put these stickers on cards and give them to six friends. Invite them to zoom together to pray about someone in need of hope. Make a list of the items necessary for a full thanksgiving meal. What if you each pitched in a few items and made your own Basket of Hope? What if you wrote notes and delivered it [with appropriate social distancing and care]? What if... You may have another idea. Make it your own. We would love to hear what you did with this!
As with all our missions, you may not do this right away. You may do it next week or next month or next year. We see these mission packs like seeds. When the time is right, the seed will pop above the surface. If this month’s mission just isn’t your thing, no worries. Consider giving it away to someone who may enjoy it. Or, you may decide that you’d like to give a mission pack to a friend. We’d love to send you another one to give away. Just contact us at theridiculoushour.com and let us know which month you’d like. Either way, we simply ask two things. Please don’t throw it away and don’t copy it without our permission.
And if you just aren’t sure where to start with God, don’t worry. He started with you a long time ago. He’ll never stop knocking. The question for each and every one of us is this, will we respond. That’s our mission, inspire ridiculously responsive lives. We sure hope you are inspired today.
Now, we say, let’s go be ridiculous… ly responsive to the promptings of God.
Amen.
