The light of hope

"It's so much darker when a light goes out than it would have been if it had never shone ." -John Steinbeck

The image that you see above is one of a girl in England in 1940. She and her family lived in London and they endured the relentless bombing of the Germans. In this image, we are forced to look into the eyes of one who has experienced the pain of loss. The loss of her home, her possessions, and people that she has known. The pain of viewing things like this take a different vantage point when they involve someone as young as her. You can almost see the innocence vanishing from her eyes.

In today's media, we can view equally disturbing pictures from Syrian refugees who have been displaced and are now living elsewhere. The war continues and the numbers of the homeless grow without any real solution to this terrible dilemma. Families have been torn apart and left with nothing. Then there are the images of starving people in Venezuela. They are equally haunting as they show a country that continues to struggle to find the answer to their seemingly endless food shortage. We also see it in the images of the displaced from Louisiana who have had to endure losing all that they had. Of course, there are others beyond these situations with equally disturbing images. The internet has made the world seem smaller, which means that these painful images and stories are brought closer to us. They can feel like an unwanted guest that pulls out a chair and joins us at the dinner table.

" How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? -Habakkuk 1:2

I would argue that it is vital that we see these images, but we have to be careful with how we respond to them. I don't mean that we shouldn't be willing to respond, but we need to understand our personal bent and the nature of the human heart. I know that I can respond to these images in ways that don't do anyone any good, neither to those affected nor myself. I have to understand my own tendency which is to go down two equally dangerous paths, either by trying to outrun the pain or allowing the images make me want to abandon hope.

"I said that pain plants the flag of truth within a rebel fortress ." -CS Lewis

When I talk about trying to outrun the pain, I mean racing down a path of mindless escape. My heart and mind gravitate towards things that will soothe me by numbing the harsh reality. There are a plethora of things that I seek for immediate gratification, as that initial rush releases the images of pain from my mind. Whether it is running to Netflix or watching college football or searching the internet for the latest news, all of them serve the same purpose. They are a diversion to what is happening and the heartbreak that is present. Even if the things that I have mentioned aren't ones that you would chose, I am sure that you can think of equally mindless activity that calls to you.

“Everything in our background has prepared us to know and resist a prison when the gates begin to close around us . . . But what if there are no cries of anguish to be heard? Who is prepared to take arms against a sea of amusements? To whom do we complain, and when, and in what tone of voice, when serious discourse dissolves into giggles? What is the antidote to a culture's being drained by laughter? " -Neil Postman

The outcome is that while pursing these mindless endeavors, I forget what I have seen. Then, I am led to a sedentary place. All the while I am content because I am being entertained. I am not compelled to pray for those in pain. There is no sense of urgency to send food to the displaced and the starving. My mind doesn't consider going to them, or being an advocate for them. Not even a thought is given with how to support those that are already on the front lines offering support. No, my world is wrapped around my needs and it feels like a cocoon. I am now bound by my own selfishness.

"If we're not intentional, then we'll be so distracted by our own agendas that we won't even notice they're there, which neglects the very reason Jesus came. " -Brandon Hatmaker

The other path is equally dangerous as I abandon hope like it is a sinking ship. In this scenario, I begin to feel the weight of the needs that I see, then I begin to understand that I can't alleviate all of the hurt is before me. This helplessness pours over me, and I come to realize that the needs are far greater than anything that I can contribute. Now, the pathway has been different, but the result is the same destination, inaction.

"This is very cruel, Oskar. You're giving them hope. You shouldn't do that. That's cruel! " - Schindler's List

This time it is based on the assumption that action on my part is too small and it won't bring about the amount of results that are needed. My eyes are focused on the big picture, and I am left to wonder what good can one person do. It might sound strange, but it is actually my pride that is making that statement. Pride says to us that we are the reason that our lives are running and going well. These images shatter that facade and we are left with an uneasy conclusion, the world can't be run by either me or you. Things are going to happen that we are helpless to stop.

Now, my personal bent can be to move on to other things in my life, since I am incapable of righting all the wrongs that I have seen. However, my understanding of God is called into question at this point. In other words, what do I really believe about God is at the epicenter of this problem. Do I believe that he is still good? Do I believe that he cares for those in need? Do I believe that he desires that justice and mercy should be dispersed to them? Can I trust that his heart is moved by these images, and so should mine. The answer is that he calls us to start with one action assisting one person with one one hurt at a time.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” -Edward Everett Hale

So, as we see these images of war and famine, we need to prayerfully consider how we can find ways to bring comfort to those that we see that are suffering. Then we need to trust God and follow him into the action that he is leading us to do. In turn, this will take the torch of hope to them. They will be reminded that they aren't forgotten even as they feel they have been marginalized and left behind. We can and will become part of the solution to ease suffering and bring comfort to those in need.

It is true, this world can be a very dark and disturbing place at times. As we see the ravages of war and the pain of injustice, the heartbreak of these catastrophes can feel overwhelming. However, may we not shrink back from the challenge of finding ways to offer support. Can we allow the circumstances of these events, both global and local to lead us to a place of being ambassadors of hope? Can we allow the awful images brought before us to awake a desire in us to love those in need? Can we be the ones that carry this torch of hope to those that are suffering?

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life .” -John 8:12