Stewards of a Hope Filled Future: Hope Is Practical

Hope is Practical. The gospel is not. When the blind man shouted out begging for Jesus’ mercy, the crowds told him to sit down and to be quiet. Against popular demand, Jesus invited the man to come to him and then asked the man, “What do you want?” Was it not obvious? He wanted to see again. In case the readers have any doubt the man states this clearly for Jesus. The man received what he wanted and in return he followed Jesus. There is, in this very brief story, the image of the reciprocal relationship Christ calls us into. Christ’s mercy meets our need. We receive healing and in response, we follow Jesus. The journey begins with hope; hope that Christ will see our need. The journey continues with hope; hope that the risk of following will outweigh the cost of “going back.” Hoping that our lives might change is a practical thing. Where Jesus might lead us next likely is not.