Hope Does Not Disappoint

 

"Hope does not disappoint us" - these words come from a song some close friends of mine wrote a couple years ago. It's been one of my favorite songs and I often find the chorus running through my head. Recently, as I once again heard the lyrics in my mind, I found myself thinking bitterly that it couldn't be true. After all - is not the very nature of disappointment the experience of things not working out as you had hoped? Isn't disappointment a hope gone wrong? So how is it possible for hope not to disappoint?

The chorus goes on to say in reference to the Lord - "You are faithful! You are good!" Ahh... now we're getting somewhere. Hope on its own will disappoint. But hope in the One who is faithful and good does NOT disappoint. What does this mean? Our hope is built on the character of God, who never changes, not the outward circumstances surrounding me. 

For example - this summer, I directed an eight-week clean up/beautification project in the most underserved and crime-ridden neighborhood in Harrisburg. This was our fifth annual Summer Project and we were on schedule to completely finish removing all illegal dumpsites in South Allison Hill. In celebration of this momentous accomplishment, we were planning an extra special end of summer block party for the neighborhood. I was tired by our seventh week and ready for the whole thing to be over with. What was the point of just one more event? Was it even worth it to the neighbors? 

 The week before the party, a couple of us went out to hang invitations for the party on houses across the neighborhood. We were putting them on door knobs or handing them to people as we saw them. On my side of the street, I was passing a plaza with a bunch of homeless people smoking and hanging out. The thought crossed my mind to hand them flyers but I didn't want to "waste" them on people who I didn't think would really care. Besides that I knew a family a couple houses down that would for sure be interested. So, I kept walking.

Immediately, I heard in my mind the scripture Luke 14:12-14 (NIV): "Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” What a conviction! As I went on, I intentionally made eye contact with the homeless man on the step and the man smoking by the store front and gave them each a flyer.

The party preparations continued in full force that week, but as I pondered this verse, my heart grew excited. Yes, we had a lot of work to do. Yes, we spent a lot of money. Yes, we spent hours preparing  but Jesus promised, "You will be blessed." And elsewhere, "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

I knew now that this would be an amazing party - not because of our amazing budget or planning or volunteer team, but because Jesus would be at the party. His blessing was on this gathering of the poor, the broken and the down trodden and these are the people He would hang out with. This hope was overflow of knowing His character - what He says He will do and what He does is good. As Paul says to the Romans in chapter 15 verse 13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

It is only by trusting in Him that we can be filled with all joy and peace. As we posture our hearts in a position of trust, the Holy Spirit will empower us to live with - not merely a thread - but overflowing with hope. 

When the big day arrived and all the neighbors started showing up, I saw the broken, the hopeless, the hurting flooding our yard. I saw the drug addicts, the dealers, the ones that had yelled at me, the ones who had doubted that anything would ever change - they were all there happy, laughing with each other, lingering in the joy and celebration and daring to believe that perhaps things might just actually be changing for the better. And I, inspired by their hope, dared to believe that Hope Himself had showed up just like He said He would.