We are blessed you and I.
It was the smelly, exhaust-filled, no-room-for-my-feet, ride back to Manila when it hit me. How privileged I am to be an American.
For all the complaining and wistful thinking I have towards settling in one location. For all the moments I was self-conscious of sticking out and embarrassed at being pointed out as a foreigner. For the MANY times I have just handed my passport to customs without a second thought of whether or not I would be allowed to into a new country- I am thankful.
What would it be like to know you will be a taxi driver until the day you die?
What would it be like to be denied a visa… not once but twice?
We can come and go as we like. We can always find someone with enough English to point you in the right direction. We get to dream of the many different available career paths because we have so many OPTIONS.
Doctor? Lawyer? Mom? Actor? We are raised knowing that if you work hard enough, you can achieve your dreams.
Walking down the beach strip of Boracay, beautiful native islanders set up camp along side of the tourist strip. Son sitting next to father, and daughter clinging to mother- playing until they catch sight of a foreigner. Once white skin is spotted, they stop their games and run out with their hands raised, palms cupped, waiting.
Engrained in them before they can even walk, as second nature as breathing, they are taught to beg. This is their life. This is how they believe it will always be.
In the peaceful mountains of Manila, children as young as 5 years old dig through landfills day after day to find one recyclable item. Rummaging through trash= survival. That is all they know. No schooling, no hope of a future. Unable to find the vocabulary to tell whether my shirt is "green" or "blue".
We are blessed you and I.
Yes, we have our issues. Yes, we have our hardships and corruption and disasters BUT more importantly, we have hope.
Hope in a future- that regardless of what situation I was born in to, there is hope of redemption and change.
Yes, Jesus DOES have plans for us, plans for hope and a future. Plans to give us life in abundance (Jeremiah 29:11).
We have hope you and I. Can you give it to them?
I feel helpless. How do you give hope? How do you spread a faith and a trust that picks people up off their feet and gives them a future?
I can’t give hope- Jesus can.
So while I wring my hands about what the future may hold and stress about what I should be doing next, I can take my thoughts captive and remember this:
I serve a God who allows me to dream and dream BIG.
I serve a God who asks me hope and hope in Him.
I serve a God who never leaves me hanging- He is faithful.
Want to know something crazy?? I CAN hope.
I can hope for those who don't know what hope is. I can dream for those who have lost their dreams. I can use what has been given to me to give away.
Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance in what we do not see (Hebrews 11).
Oh silly me of little faith.
Time to start confidently hoping, regardless of my unanswered questions.
