One Student's Hope

Henri J.M. Nouwen once asked his college students to describe what they meant by “hope.” One of his students wrote this…

I hope I will always be for each person what that person needs me to be.

I hope that each person’s death will diminish me, but fear of my own will never diminish my joy of life.

I hope that my love for those whom I like will never lessen my love for those whom I do not.

I hope than another person’s love for me will never be a measure of my love for that other.

I hope that every person will accept me as I am, but that I never will.

I hope that I will always ask forgiveness from others, but will never need to be asked for my own.

I hope that I will always recognize my limitations, but that I will construct none.

I hope that love will always be my goal, but that love will never be my idol.

I hope that every person will always have hope.

William Stringfellow

There is a small picture frame on my desk at church with this thought from lawyer and theologian William Stringfellow that might “set the table” a bit for our conversation next Tuesday. The emphases are mine…

 

“The most obstinate misconception associated with the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that the Gospel is welcome in this world. This conviction – endemic among church folk – persists that, if problems of misapprehension are overcome, and the gospel is heard on its own integrity, the Gospel will be found attractive to people, become popular, and a success of some sort. The idea is curious and ironic because it is bluntly contradicted in scripture and in the experience of the continuing biblical witness in history.”

 

Hope to see you Tuesday.