Racism is a very topical issue at this time: in society, churches, and even homes. In this month’s blog, I examine not only whether racism is sin but the unpardonable sin – sin against the Holy Spirit – matter of great import to Christians preparing for Christ’s second coming.

Although I grew up in racially fractured country, as a young Christian girl, I didn’t believe that God was interested in stuff like racism, and that I could speak up against it in my church, school, and society as a whole. Attending churches with large portraits of a ‘white’ Jesus on prominent display, preachers rarely addressed racial issues in general nor racialized violence in particular, although we had our fair share of it. Topics like racism, social injustice and anything viewed as being outside of the salvation story was labelled “politics”, and therefore, a ‘no-no’ for the pulpit.

As I continue my Christian journey, I’ve realized over time that my childhood view that God maybe was indifferent to racism and racial violence was far from the truth revealed in His word. We are told that in Christ’s body, there are no national or ethnic boundaries. The church, the body of Christ, is a place where “there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male or female, and where “all are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). I believe this ‘oneness’ refers to the unity Christ prayed for in John 17: 20-23, a unity that can only come about through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

What is racism?

Racism is a complicated and misunderstood societal problem that we can’t ignore or run away from. It can be defined as the marginalization or oppression of an inferior and subordinate people group by a superior and dominant people group based on a socially constructed hierarchical system that views the visual racial and ethnic characteristics of the dominant and superior people group as better than that of the inferior or subordinate people group, and allows for partiality or bias by the superior group toward the inferior group on these bases.

The ideology of racism has worldwide reach: prejudice by whites on non -whites (black, coloured, and native peoples); and yellow peoples (Indians) on blacks and indigenous peoples, and even higher caste Indians over lower caste Indians.

Racism in the Bible

The Bible clearly condemns all forms of racism and views every person as equally valuable in God’s eyes based on the following scriptural principles:

One: All humans were created by God. God “created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (v. 27). Every person is created intentionally by God in his own divine image, making us equally valuable in God’s sight. Racism denies the very source of humanity, the image of God in man; destroying God’s likeness in every person and separating us from God and other human beings.

Two: Every person is equally valuable to God. At a time when many Jews considered Greeks to be unclean and inferior, and Christian Jews were trying to force Gentile believers to also perform Jewish rituals, the Apostle Paul addressed racism head on. He stated that “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile …” We are all one in God’s sight. In other words, other people don’t determine our value as humans; God does. Racism assumes that human beings are not equal before God and therefore not all a part of God’s family. As such, there is no place for racism among believers.

Three Salvation is available to all through Christ: God loves all sinners and wants all to come to faith in His Son. He “shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). We are also told to  go and “make disciples of all nations” (Mathew 28:19) – “nations” translated ethnos (meaning people groups) from which we get the word “ethnicity”. Racism is contrary to biblical teaching, especially the teaching about salvation., and the role of humans in this plan of God. God’s plan

Four: We must love everyone. God’s word is clear: You are to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Further, “If you show partiality [favouritism], you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). Peter testified to the Gentiles who sought to hear the gospel that God “… has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean” (Acts 10:28). Racism is a blatant denial of Christian faith, and the opposite of love – which is hatred.

Is racism sin?

 To answer this question, we need to first define sin.

Situational Evil: The classic definition of sin is that “it is the transgression of the law.” Adam and Eve purposely disobeyed God’s command and their sin plunged the human race into a fallen, sinful state. Their sin resulted in situational evil – the suffering, death, and hardship that are a result of living in a sinful world.

Lawlessness: Sin is also defined as lawlessness. 1 John 3: 4 says: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.” The list of sins in Revelation 21:8, lumps together all those who engage in lawlessness (murderers and liars) as unfit for the kingdom of heaven.

Moral evil: The Apostle James says we sin when we don’t do the right thing. James 4:7 says ^“Therefore, to him who knows to do good [right] and does not do it, to him it is sin.” This could be called moral evil, the evil that people believe and do.

If we use these Biblical definitions, we sin when we engage in racist behaviours or actions because we know or should know that such behaviours are not right in the sight of God, our Heavenly Father. Racism or hatred for someone is sin because it separates us from God. Jesus reinforces this idea in Mathew 5: 22 when He said this: ”But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

But there is another side to sin. While it is true that any sin is an abomination to a perfect God, meriting eternal death and requiring the blood of Christ for repentance and restoration, all sins are not equal on earth. This may be because each sin carries different consequences for the perpetrator from those affected by the sin. Murder, for example, causes more immediate physical pain than lying.  I would also argue that racism leads to physical pain and death. Just consider the centuries of unjust treatment, (whipping and lynching), enslaved people suffered at the hands of their owners.

Solomon, in the book of Proverbs identifies seven sins that are an abomination to God – deeply hated by our Heavenly Father: “a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6: 16-19). Not only does racism fit into this list but it’s born out of several of these sins, and chief among them is the division that it causes in the body of Christ.

Racism and the Unpardonable Sin

I want to say at the outset that whatever the sin, if a soul repents and believes, their guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ. However, when someone rejects the work of the Holy Spirit, s/he is placing himself/herself where repentance and faith cannot reach them.  This is known as the unpardonable sin, the sin that God cannot forgive.

We are introduced to this concept in Matthew 12. In verses 22-32, we find Jesus casting out a demon by the Spirit of God, and the Pharisees claiming He did it by the power of the devil. He Jesus, then informs them that they can speak against the Son of man and be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. According to this passage, the unpardonable sin and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit did not happen when the Pharisees insulted the Son of Man but when the work of the Holy Spirit by whose power the demon was cast out was attributed to Satan.

What does this have to do with racism?

It is by the Holy Spirt that God works upon the sinner’s heart; when men wilfully reject the Spirit, and declare His power to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. Unless we become vitally connected with God, through the Holy Spirit, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin.

We may leave off many bad habits, and for a time we may part company with Satan. But without a vital connection with God, through the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and continual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his bidding in the end.

It is clear that Jesus regards blasphemy against the Holy Spirit – permanently rejecting His identity and power as attested by the Holy Spirit’s transforming works as the worst of sins.  So, if anyone permanently rejects Christ’s identity in his creation, whether black, white, brown, or yellow as confirmed by the Holy Spirit’s power to change their lives and make them worthy in the sight of God, that person is in danger of committing the worst sin.

Ellen White, one of my favourite writers, provides some more food for thought on the unpardonable sin. She writes: “The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not lie in any sudden word or deed; it is the firm, determined resistance of truth and evidence.” — Manuscript 30, March 1890, par. 16.

Also, “The unpardonable sin is never a sin committed out of weakness, by mistake, or out of sheer ignorance” but “is a continued and wilful attitude of hostility against the Holy Spirit; the proud, continued resistance against His guidance, the “persistent refusal to respond to the invitation to repent.” “For if we persist in sin after re­ceiving the knowledge of the truth, no sacri­fice for sins remains (Hebrews 10:26).”

If over time, a person refuses to obey the entreaties of the Holy Spirit to surrender and abandon a racist ideology and to be transformed, the danger persists. The Spirt of God will not always strive with man.  Unless, we are willing to work to love our neighbour as ourselves, to declare that racism, and any kind of hate is evil, we may be at risk. Remember, to deliberately refuse the grace of God, preferring to call good evil and evil good, is a sin that is irredeemable.

The good news—the Gospel—doesn’t just mean that we’re brought near to God. It also means we’re brought near to the people we once considered so different from ourselves. “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 2:13). It is God who removes prejudice from the heart, and restores our relationships with people and groups we’ve mistreated. That’s called reconciliation.

God is a reconciling God and the Gospel is, at its core, a message of reconciliation.  God brings peace where there was once strife, and kindness where there was once animosity. He’s done it in us and He can do it between us and our neighbours—whether black, white, Latino, native, indigenous, or otherwise.

In addition, if we belong to Jesus, we are part of His movement to bring more reconciliation between people and God. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:18 – 20, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. As His representatives, we have the opportunity to share how the life-changing message of the Gospel creates a healthy relationship with God and healthy relationships between people, no matter who they are. Your job and my job, as we learn to follow Jesus step by step, includes reconciliation because the message of Jesus is that we all belong to God, together—no separation, no difference in status or worth.

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Sunday, June 21, 2020 was Father’s Day. Like Mother’s Day, it provides an excellent opportunity for fathers to remember important principles, reflect on personal failures, refocus on what’s good and the right, and resolve to follow after righteousness.

In this blog, I focus on five my characteristics of my heavenly father that I also experienced with my earthly father. With my dad gone, I must continue to depend on God ‘fathering’ me.  May all godly dads seek to emulate these qualities in their own families.

1. Forgiveness

The parable of the prodigal son in Luke Chapter 15 gives us a picture of what the heart of our heavenly Father is like. A wayward son, who has squandered his father’s wealth, returns home, broken and with great sadness. A long way off, his father sees, runs to him, embraces and forgives him, and restores him to his position of ‘son-ship’ in the family. What a beautiful picture of what our God does for us! This reminds me of the many times I received my father’s forgiveness and compassion when I disobeyed or misbehaved. May all fathers demonstrate this picture of forgiveness within their families.

2.  Loving  

The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5:25, that husbands should love their wives “as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” This type of love is both self-sacrificing, generous, and selfless. One of the best things a father can do is to love his wife and to not be shy about letting his children know this through words and actions. This is a wonderful way to be a role model to your sons and daughters.

3. Discipline

In Hebrews Chapter 2, the Bible reminds us that God, our Heavenly Father always disciplines his children out of love. Earthly fathers must strive to do the same with their children. While Paul may not have had any biological children, he encouraged them not to provoke their children to anger but to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). While my dad did not always discipline aright, he certainly did not antagonize us to make us angry. Lord, please show dads how to correct and discipline their children with love.

4. Provider

Although there are many verses in the Bible that point to God as our provider, one of the most popular ones is found in Philippians 4:19: which states, “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” In the same way that God provides for our physical, spiritual and emotional needs, fathers should do the same for their families.

Regardless of limited means, my dad made sure we had what we needed to thrive – food, clothing, shelter, and love. Being a provider is not optional for “… If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” [infidel].

5. Responsible

Fathers, especially must be responsible, accountable, and in authority. One area in which this must be evident is bearing responsibility for raising godly children. This must start with a dad’s personal commitment to God. Joshua, Moses’s successor as leader of Israel, clearly and boldly demonstrated this responsibility when he declared, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 25:15). It was quite strange to me that, while my dad made his own personal commitment to God in his seventies, he made sure that we knew and worshiped Him.

Fathers must not neglect their calling and responsibility to provide spiritual leadership in the home. Take time to lead your family in Bible reading and prayer. God, help them bear this responsibility faithfully and with commitment.

The Apostle John hailed the faith of his spiritual children when he said “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 4). May we look to our perfect heavenly Father to help fathers walk in the truth for the good of their families, and the glory of God.

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Ignore anyone who says they’ve never been discouraged. That’s because life often throws you a curved ball leaving you frustrated and less hopeful. Some say discouragement is an inevitable part of life, but Jesus doesn’t want anyone of us to be discouraged.

Just before He faced what could be viewed as the most discouraging experience of His life – death on a cross – He gave this command to His disciples: “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). In other words, “Don’t’ be disheartened. Don’t be distressed. Don’t be fearful.” Clearly, these were meant to be comforting words to his friends to help them cope at a time when His mission – their mission – seemed to be collapsing right before their eyes.

However, words weren’t enough. Jesus’ disciples needed more tangible remedy, and Jesus gave it. He said “Believe in God and believe in me”. Said another way, “Trust me and let your heart be ruled by what I promise to give you.” So, take heart, if you are disheartened by failure, or criticism; if you are distressed and disillusioned; if you are down on ourselves with poor self-worth, and if you are without confidence and hope for the future. Jesus is also saying to you and me “trust me.”

The Bible says, “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Heb. 12:3). Realizing how much Jesus went through out of love for us helps to keep our own troubles in perspective. We also know that Christ, our great High Priest in heaven, is able to sympathize with us in our weaknesses, because on earth He was “in all points tempted as we are” (Heb. 4:14-15). Therefore, we can come to Him for help in times of discouragement, just as at other times (vs. 16).

We can focus on the positives and learn to view setbacks as learning opportunities to cope and conquer discouragement. But the only sure thing is to trust in God to strengthen our faith and help us move forward.

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“And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25 (King James Version).”

Many people when going through a time of loss, have claimed the promise in this verse as one of God’s future restoration of the things that were lost. We should. Yet there is something more deeply embedded in the Bible verse. While the loss suffered by the people of God occurred from an invasion of insects which devoured their crops, this passage also examines the spiritual devastation that can take place in our lives when sin becomes rooted in our lives.

God names four insects which are noted for their destruction of trees and other plant life – the locust; the canker worm or the inch worm which is the larva of a moth; the caterpillar which is the larva for the butterfly; and the palmerworm which is the larva for a beetle. Locusts breed rapidly to keep the species alive, as their average life span is only several months (animals.nationalgeographic.com). They are powerful fliers that travel great distances. They swarm quickly and mercilessly, consuming all green material in their path.

The word locust comes from the root word ravah which literally means to multiply into a multitude. When a multitude of difficulties come upon us, it can drown out the still small voice of God. Green represents life. Just like the locusts eat all the green and thereby devour life, when we allow sin to sprout and grow, it explodes out of control, eating away at our very existence; consuming our blessings along the way.

Further, when we consider that locusts “travel great distances,” they can also represent generational curses. The sins we commit and do not acknowledge or allow God to destroy in our lives, can quickly spiral out of control, opening the doors of destruction in our lives and progressing for generations to come.

Canker worm is the common name for several destructive caterpillars in the measuring worm family, especially the spring cankerworm and the fall canker worm. They like to eat leaves – a lot, feeding from May through mid-June and then will go back underground, and re-emerge in the fall as moths. The wingless female crawls up the trunks of fruit or shade trees to lay their eggs, and the caterpillars, which hatch about the time the tree comes into leaf, often making skeletons of the leaves of an entire orchard in a few days.

The canker worm literally licks away or laps away at your hope, coming back over and over again like the seasons. Coupled with the caterpillar, (chasel in Hebrew) it devours you with fear, paralyzing fear. The palmerworm (gazem in Hebrew), on the other hand is a caterpillar that suddenly appears in great numbers devouring herbage.  It’s pictured as filling you with intense grief and sorrow and quickly cutting you off from the joys of life.

Like an army, the Devil invades our lives with sin, drowning out the voice of God; devouring our lives with fear and hopelessness and cutting us off from the blessings and joys of life. Maybe for some the sin has not been dealt with at its root as evidenced by its swarming rebirth every several months. Perhaps for some sons and daughters, it has become a generational curse, holding up the promise of restoration.

Joel 1:4 outlines a devastating progression. “That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker worm eaten; and that which the canker worm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten.” The spiritual devastation doesn’t end with the palmerworm, but rather begins again with the locusts.

This is a reminder that sin and its brutal effects don’t just stop on their own. When cultivated, it grows bigger and stronger – from the palmerworm, to the locust, to the canker worm, and the caterpillar, and back to the palmerworm. It can also replicate itself indefinitely, even down to future generations, until it destroys life itself.

Through it all, we have the assurance that God will one day restore what was lost. In 2020, let’s reach back to where the worm first hatched. Like the prodigal, let’s repent of our sins, accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and allow God, the Holy Spirit to transform us daily. Let’s claim the victory God has given to not tolerate sin in any way, shape or form in our lives. Let’s make this new year, a year of restoration.

All references to Hebrew words and meanings, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance (C) 1990 by Thomas Nelson Publishing. All dictionary references are taken from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary (C) 2015, unless otherwise noted.

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According to the Collins English Dictionary, “if you mend something that is broken or not working, you repair it, so that it works properly or can be used.”[1]

In Galatians 6: 1, the apostle Paul references this meaning of the word “mend. He writes “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” I’m told, the word translated from the Greek as “restore” was also used for mending a net.

While previous generations of men and women learned to mend as a domestic necessity, for most people today, mending is a distant choice. In practice, many millennials, gen Xers and even some boomers know very little now about mending and in today’s throwaway society, there isn’t much reason to mend a torn sock or pants or handbag. Socks are relatively cheap; pants are still affordably priced; and handbags, well, very few people think about mending those.

That being said, there are several benefits to mending torn things.

Mending repairs what is torn and the result of a good mend is an unnoticeable fix to what we already have.

Mending re-positions and re-orients those who take up the habit, helping them to solve problems that usually happen on our way out the door or after machine washing a load of clothes.

Mending reflects environmental stewardship. The recent rush to follow Marie Kondo and declutter our closets allows us to cast out disposable stuff like clothing from our homes to a landfill site. Mending, on the other hand, requires us to choose to fix what we have without casting out one set of disposables and buying another.

Mending, however, takes a lot of time just like God’s mending of a spiritual life also takes time, a lifetime.

Casting and Mending

In Mark chapter 1, Jesus encounters two different pairs of brothers who were fishermen. While walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he first passes by Simon Peter and Andrew who in verse 16 were “casting a net into the sea.” As the Saviour walked further along, he sees James and John, two other brothers who were “mending their nets” (Verse 19).

Although, the four were all fishermen, they were not all occupied in the same activity of their profession. One set was casting; the other, mending. You may ask, which is more important – casting or mending? I say both are equally important.

In this blog, I’ve teased out a few important lessons about why this is so.

       1. Casting is a necessity for the Christian.

In Luke Chapter 5, after Peter (with his partners James and John) reluctantly let down or cast their nets into the water, “they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break” (Verse 6).

In the first century, nets were used for fishing. If they became broken, the fishermen could not fish. Whenever a fisherman came back from fishing, he would examine his nets to ensure there were no torn or broken places. If he found any, he would mend them; to make them as good as new.

God wants to do the same with members of His household of faith. As broken vessels, God is continually examining us carefully to find our weak spots, and to restore and purify us. He wants to heal hearts, a lengthy but necessary process, if we are to attain holiness and the character of Christ.

Moreover, like fishermen who throw their nets out to fish for cod, snapper and salmon, God wants his servants to be fishers of men. If as Christians, we encounter men and women are broken spiritually, God wants us to cast our ‘gospel’ nets into the water to rescue them.

We should keep in mind, however, that nets do not become worn by lying at the bottom of a fishing boat. They must be used. They are torn when they are cast, and when they are cast productively. This suggests that the nets that James and John were mending must have been a testimony of more successful and productive fishing times.

       2. Casting is a requirement for mending and vice versa.

Although a fisherman/woman may not be catching fish while s/he is mending, without a mended net one cannot venture out to catch fish. It’s the same for ministry. There are times when we may feel that things are going very well with us and other times when there is a struggle. We must allow God to mend us so we can be whole as we serve others.

Likewise, as we cast our nets, we must also realize that not everyone we witness to will accept the truth about the gospel; not all those who accept salvation will grow and bear fruit; and there will be times when we won’t grasp the biblical truths that are hidden in God’s word. When we feel wounded, God will be there to mend us so we can go on fishing.

      3. We must not give up during mending time.

I’m glad, James and John were mending their nets rather than abandoning them or looking for a place to dispose of them. Mending meant they were planning to fish again and not to give up altogether. They could have looked at their competitors Simon and Andrew and could have become discouraged by the fact that they were casting, but they didn’t. They knew mending was a necessary part of net restoration and, once completed, they would fish again.

Similarly, rather than giving up, we must embrace the times of mending. Many Christians often forget past successes during times of difficulty but no matter where we are, we should always remember to look back to those times when we thought things were better. we must thank God for every past victory rather than be discouraged by the need to stop and mend others, or to be mended ourselves.

4. Whether casting or mending, we must respond to the call of Jesus.

As Simon Peter and Andrew were casting their nets, Jesus bids them “Come, follow me” and immediately, “they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1: 17, 18). Similarly, when he interrupts James and John, the Bible says “… they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him” (verse 20). Regardless of whether they were casting or mending, Jesus called all four men because he loved them, and they followed him immediately.

It must be the same for us. Jesus loves casters and menders equally. We live in a success-driven society and it’s natural for us to become fixated on our failures, seeing them as obstacles. But whether we are facing difficulties or experiencing victory, we must heed the call of Jesus. We must turn our attention from our nets and focus on the Saviour. He wants us to be with him; to walk with him; and to tell others about him. So, in the big picture, it doesn’t matter whether we are casting or mending as long as we are willing to say “yes’ to Jesus.

I trust that as casters we are also “on the mend.” I know I want Jesus to fix me. I hope and trust you want the same too.

[1] https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/mend

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A few evenings ago, my husband excitedly invited me to take a look at the moon. I am always fascinated to look up into the sky and to observe the stars and constellations, and of course, the moon. I went outside and what I saw was a lovely, bright full moon.

As I gazed up at the lighted disc, I wondered what it must have felt like to the Apollo 11 crew (Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin) to walk on the moon’s surface not knowing whether it could hold their weight.

I must confess, it gave me such joy to look at what always appears to be the outline of a face in the moon, and my one regret is that I did not take a picture of it. Going back into the house, I felt uplifted by the experience; happier and with a little more swagger in my step.

This experience has given rise to this month’s blog post.

With so much negativity and competition out there in the world why not uplift one another a bit.

Here are a few easy ways.

1. Get out into nature.

Take a walk outside, especially during daylight hours. Natural light can boost our mood, and other studies show that taking walks and being in nature can reduce depression and anxiety. At night, look up into the heavens. Try to identify the planets and constellations of stars. Allow yourself to be wowed by celestial beauty, and give thanks.

2. Smile broadly

What I failed to include when describing my wonder at the moon was how much it made me smile. I love to take a walk at lunch time to clear my head and to get some exercise. I can’t tell you how many people I pass who just stare. Even when I make eye contact and smile, sometimes many have a grim, gruff look. Now, I don’t expect everyone I pass on my walk to smile, but there’s nothing like a smile to say “I saw you, I acknowledge you, and I’m not going to ignore you.”

3. Show kindness

Be kind to your spouse, your family members, friends and coworkers. Little things like holding a door or elevator open for someone can make a big difference to them. Give genuine attention and genuine compliments, and I emphasize the word genuine. Don’t just say something to hear yourself or to break an awkward silence. If you like someone’s shoes, handbag, or hairstyle, say so and mean it. People tend to be self-critical so remind them of their strengths, talents, and positive attributes. It will help uplift them. You never know, you may be giving them a word of encourage or appreciation at the lowest point in their day when they really need it.

4. Write or Send a Note or Text Message

Whichever method you choose depends on the type of person you are interacting with and how well you know them.  For some time now, I’ve made it my practice to send someone a text message or email not if I thought about them during that day. I also try to send messages to friends and loved ones on important dates such as International Women’s Day, Mother’s day, Father’s Day, birthdays, Thanksgiving , Christmas, and the like. It doesn’t have to be long and sentimental but taking the time to write a note or email, make a telephone call, or send a card can show how much we care about someone.

5: Offer To Help Someone 

Check in on the vulnerable: old and young. If you know someone is sick or going through a rough time, figure out a way (big or small) to help. You could send a gift card for a meal or snack; take along a bouquet of flowers on a quick house visit; or make up package with some goodies you baked. Little gestures of kindness do wonders for a person’s self-worth, and at times, their sanity. Trust me, there’s also a bonus! You will feel incredible in return.

6. Be Present in the Moment

Research shows that positive social relationships with others can help us feel better. However, many people actually feel quite lonely during social interactions. Keep this in mind and when you are in the company of your friends or loved ones, put away your phone, your computer, and your work assignment, and be there for them. Listen to them and support them without judging, and don’t offer suggestions unless they ask. In this way, you can help that person feel connected and supported.

7. Invite someone to join in supporting a cause or helping someone else

This may seem counter-intuitive but when we help others, we automatically feel better ourselves. By asking a struggling friend or loved one to join you, you are giving them the opportunity to engage in an act of service that research shows will improve their happiness.

Ask someone to point out some of the positive things that are happening to them. If they are having trouble at work, with their spouse or their children, ask them if there are other things for which they are grateful. Gently guiding a friend toward the things that are going right can help broaden their perspective and give them solace.

So, go ahead. Uplift. Elevate. Inspire. Offer hope and encouragement. Someone needs it today.

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I don’t know about you, but I am ready for a break from bad news. Bernie Madoff made off with millions of dollars of other people’s money, senseless killings are an everyday occurrence, many are losing their livelihoods and homes, and stress and tension are everywhere.

No matter how strong or powerful or confident we are, we all face tough times as we live in this world. One day we feel invincible and mighty; the next, deflated, lost and scared.  If you haven’t already, you may realize that the hardest part of tough times is to hold on to hope.

I’ve been thinking a lot about hope recently and especially about how so many brilliant and successful people like Robin Williams and Kate Spade lose it and take their own lives. Why is it that amidst vicious challenges that threaten to squeeze me to a breaking point, I too haven’t given up? Simply put, it’s because I’ve been able to hold on to hope.

What is Hope?

Hope, in my opinion, is one of the most powerful and positive mindsets we can have. In everyday usage, hope is often described as a form of wishful thinking that’s differentiated from certainty. Someone says, for instance “I don’t know what’s going to happen but I hope so and so happens.”

That’s absolutely not what hope means to me. My hope, Christian hope, is trusting in a certain outcome or possibility: a confident expectation. Simply put, it says God has promised something and you can confidently place your trust in what He says because he has said it. It’s all about waiting patiently, ardently and with certainty for God’s promises to be fulfilled. Wow!

How does hope affect us?

As I look around the world today, it seems that many of the issues we buckle under in society are the result of a lack of hope. Think about it. People live for the here and now. They value earthly or material things such as power, prestige and possessions. Although they live in comfort, they lead miserable, bitter lives that lack joy and peace. They run from trials, often blaming others for their own failures. To avoid this, our hope must be secure in God.

Hope affects us on different levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Hope has been shown to boost your immune system reducing stress and anxiety so every day you wake up feeling positive. Those who lack hope often fall into rhythms of negative thinking and are full of resentment, pessimism and can even suffer from depression. Hope is also essential for creating self-worth, improving social relationships, motivating positive action, and broadening and building your mind, and looking forward to eternity.

How to build hope?

Our Christian faith is based on hope in Jesus. In fact, one of the key goals of Scripture is to develop and increase our hope. In 1834, Edward Mote summarized the Christian hope in his now famous hymn:

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.                                                                                                                                  I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name.                                                                                                                                    On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand.

In addition, the Bible says: “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). This implies that hope, like faith is strengthened by the word of God. Hope comes from reading God precious and great promises and trusting in them. Additionally, “…

Additionally, “…everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NIV).

In verse 13 of Romans 15, the Apostle Paul reminds us that God is the source of hope and He wants your hope to greatly abound or increase. He says “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The Apostle Peter also tells us that our hope is a living hope. He says “May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! On account of his vast mercy, he has given us new birth. You have been born anew into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3, CEB).

The essence of what we look to in the Bible is to build our hope. So, let’s look away from the circumstances that confront us and look to Jesus and His promises and hold fast to them. Personally, there are three essential promises to which I hold, and by God’s grace, I never want to let go of them. I encourage you to do the same.

First, I have the hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2 says the “hope of eternal life which God who does not lie promised before the beginning of time.” Know that only in Christianity is there such a promise of a glorious life beyond the grave.

Then, there is the hope of a glorious church. Jesus promises to purify the church “that he might present her to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing…” When we look at the church today, full of imperfect people, this hope might appear to be a stretch. However, know that God will complete the work he started in his people so that His church “should be holy and without blemish.”

But arguably, the most pivotal of all hope is the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ at His second coming. This year, on July 20, it will be 50 years since human beings set foot on the moon. In the now famous words of Neil Armstrong “it was one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Man had successfully broken out of the bounds of earth’s atmosphere.

I admit, I’ve felt jealous of Neil Armstrong but only until I pondered more deeply the blessed hope and my trip to heaven. You see, when Jesus comes, I will hear that trumpet blast which beckons the dead saints to rise. Then, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet Jesus in the air.

With my glorified body, I will glide past the moon (later for you Neil Armstrong) and the galaxies to the place Jesus has prepared for us. What a glorious blessed hope! Let us keep it alive. Let’s pass it on to the next generation. Most importantly, Let us never lose it or lose sight of it because he who promised is faithful.

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