One of the benefits of having to prepare for new presentations is the chance to do new reading and thinking. Of course, at this stage of the game, I do have some things that are true to me. Those things are central to the way I see myself and my world. It does not mean they are universally true, but they are true for me. And I think they are true for many other people. I like to share these. And I also like to keep reading and thinking to see how my own truths can be confirmed or challenged. And I like to find new things that make sense and fit into the way I look at things.
Recently, I had the challenge of helping a group of church leaders think about the future---not only their own personal future, but the future of their congregations and organizations. Sometimes this exercise is called strategic planning or long-range planning. I am ok with this, but when it comes to spiritual organizations, it is not fully adequate. I think God has a desire for each of us as individuals and as groups. If we feel this way, then it is incumbent upon us to discern God’s desire. I won’t have enough time with this group to do that with them. They may already have a sense for that. But I am never surprised when a church group, for example, is not at all clear what they think God desires for them.
In the context of preparing for this presentation, I turned to a somewhat dated book I like. Kenneth Callahan wrote a helpful book entitled, Twelve Keys to an Effective Church. Normally, I don’t care for those kinds of approaches. It sounds like 5 easy steps to something---getting rich, losing weight, etc. But I always found Callahan to be thoughtful and helpful. And I did so again. While there was much that I gleaned from a quick re-read, there was one paragraph that jumped out at me.
I may not even use it in my presentation, but I incorporated it into my own life and outlook. I want to try to live by the truth it spoke to me. The focus of the paragraph is hope. I have written some books on the virtues and hope is one of those virtues. In fact, in three of my own books, hope is always the last virtue. Because without hope, we argue, what is there? I know the Apostle Paul said, “Faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor 13:13) Love may be the greatest, but hope is the last.
Here is how Callahan talks about hope. “Hope is stronger than memory. Salvation is stronger than sin. Forgiveness is stronger than bitterness. Reconciliation is stronger than hatred. Resurrection is stronger than crucifixion. Light is stronger than darkness…Hope is stronger than memory.” Let’s unpack and reflect on the various affirmations in this wonderful passage.
Hope is stronger than memory. I love that sentiment. And I would like for it to be true for me. However, I know it is possible to have little hope. It is possible to despair---to be without hope. I know there are times when I have dealt with older people, memory is doubtlessly stronger than hope. In many cases memory is good. Memory is solid; it doesn’t change. Memories of good times remain good times.
We all know attitude, expectations and even experience affect how we hope. I have heard people lament they were in a hopeless situation. Usually this means they feel no control over what’s about to happen. They see (or fear) one outcome. Life can feel fated; destiny can appear to be a cruel master.
Sometimes the problem with hope is we define what hope has to be. We put boundaries on what hope must be like. I understand the desire to be god, but we are not gods. We are humans who contend with both destiny and free will. Hope us the future coming at us within these two factors. The middle of Callahan’s paragraph reminds me how to shape hope.
He says, salvation is stronger than sin. I believe this in my head---it’s my theology. But I also need to trust it with my heart. If I don’t do that, it probably does not inform my hope. Callahan adds to this the point that forgiveness is stronger than bitterness. Wow, is that true! And yet, so many people seem to prefer bitterness. It is a strong feeling. Bitterness that is grounded in disappointment feels so justified. It is a twin to resentment. These are strong places, but they are unfortunate places. I keep trying to learn to be forgiving---for my own sake, if not for the other.
Callahan also tells us that reconciliation is stronger than hatred. Our world certainly needs to hear this and learn how to practice it. There is too much hatred and hatred is always destructive. Resurrection is stronger than crucifixion and light is stronger than darkness. Clearly these are gospel themes. We all believe them in theory. The point is not theoretical. The point is to incarnate and live out these aspects of hope. It is helpful to see hope as resurrectional and as light.
Callahan offers a powerful, spiritual way of understanding and living a life of hope. I add an important piece from my own books, which say that hope has to be at least possible. Hope is not the same thing as fantasy. Callahan has done it again. An old book breathed new life into my theology and, perhaps, my life.
Hope is stronger than memory.
Recently, I had the challenge of helping a group of church leaders think about the future---not only their own personal future, but the future of their congregations and organizations. Sometimes this exercise is called strategic planning or long-range planning. I am ok with this, but when it comes to spiritual organizations, it is not fully adequate. I think God has a desire for each of us as individuals and as groups. If we feel this way, then it is incumbent upon us to discern God’s desire. I won’t have enough time with this group to do that with them. They may already have a sense for that. But I am never surprised when a church group, for example, is not at all clear what they think God desires for them.
In the context of preparing for this presentation, I turned to a somewhat dated book I like. Kenneth Callahan wrote a helpful book entitled, Twelve Keys to an Effective Church. Normally, I don’t care for those kinds of approaches. It sounds like 5 easy steps to something---getting rich, losing weight, etc. But I always found Callahan to be thoughtful and helpful. And I did so again. While there was much that I gleaned from a quick re-read, there was one paragraph that jumped out at me.
I may not even use it in my presentation, but I incorporated it into my own life and outlook. I want to try to live by the truth it spoke to me. The focus of the paragraph is hope. I have written some books on the virtues and hope is one of those virtues. In fact, in three of my own books, hope is always the last virtue. Because without hope, we argue, what is there? I know the Apostle Paul said, “Faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor 13:13) Love may be the greatest, but hope is the last.
Here is how Callahan talks about hope. “Hope is stronger than memory. Salvation is stronger than sin. Forgiveness is stronger than bitterness. Reconciliation is stronger than hatred. Resurrection is stronger than crucifixion. Light is stronger than darkness…Hope is stronger than memory.” Let’s unpack and reflect on the various affirmations in this wonderful passage.
Hope is stronger than memory. I love that sentiment. And I would like for it to be true for me. However, I know it is possible to have little hope. It is possible to despair---to be without hope. I know there are times when I have dealt with older people, memory is doubtlessly stronger than hope. In many cases memory is good. Memory is solid; it doesn’t change. Memories of good times remain good times.
We all know attitude, expectations and even experience affect how we hope. I have heard people lament they were in a hopeless situation. Usually this means they feel no control over what’s about to happen. They see (or fear) one outcome. Life can feel fated; destiny can appear to be a cruel master.
Sometimes the problem with hope is we define what hope has to be. We put boundaries on what hope must be like. I understand the desire to be god, but we are not gods. We are humans who contend with both destiny and free will. Hope us the future coming at us within these two factors. The middle of Callahan’s paragraph reminds me how to shape hope.
He says, salvation is stronger than sin. I believe this in my head---it’s my theology. But I also need to trust it with my heart. If I don’t do that, it probably does not inform my hope. Callahan adds to this the point that forgiveness is stronger than bitterness. Wow, is that true! And yet, so many people seem to prefer bitterness. It is a strong feeling. Bitterness that is grounded in disappointment feels so justified. It is a twin to resentment. These are strong places, but they are unfortunate places. I keep trying to learn to be forgiving---for my own sake, if not for the other.
Callahan also tells us that reconciliation is stronger than hatred. Our world certainly needs to hear this and learn how to practice it. There is too much hatred and hatred is always destructive. Resurrection is stronger than crucifixion and light is stronger than darkness. Clearly these are gospel themes. We all believe them in theory. The point is not theoretical. The point is to incarnate and live out these aspects of hope. It is helpful to see hope as resurrectional and as light.
Callahan offers a powerful, spiritual way of understanding and living a life of hope. I add an important piece from my own books, which say that hope has to be at least possible. Hope is not the same thing as fantasy. Callahan has done it again. An old book breathed new life into my theology and, perhaps, my life.
Hope is stronger than memory.
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