Hopeful Together

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
   and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
(Luke 4:18-19)

The cross of Christ gives me hope. How? The cross of Christ tells me about the vertical relationship I have to develop and have each moment with my creator and redeemer Christ Jesus. He is the Hope for us all.

But the cross does not only invite us to a relationship with Jesus. The cross also tells about a horizontal relationship. This is the relationship with the people you meet and share with each day. Because so many people live on the globe, I do not look at it as chance or luck when I meet any person in any place. I look at it as God’s design for us to meet. What do I do when I meet somebody in a restaurant and find myself with a person at the same table? What do I do when I am traveling in public transport and I find myself next to someone I have never met? God requires me to develop a relationship with the person.

And I am learning about systems that oppress many of those people I come to know. Two years ago in Kenya many people made a great effort to bring change to our country through elections. When the results of those elections were announced corruption was evident. The country was outraged and more than 15 houses in my own village were set on fire that very night. These are the broken systems that impact the lives of the people I meet. The people I meet want to do what is best for their community, but the barriers--disease, political risk, lack of income--are sometimes too much to overcome.

I cannot understand the power of these barriers if I don’t build relationships with the people who are being impacted. But when I understand the systems and know the people within those systems then hope is built in me, because I know that the barriers can be removed and that people can be set free. Jesus came to proclaim freedom for the oppressed. I share this story of Jesus wanting to give freedom with the many people that I meet. This is the story that gives me hope. When I can share it with others I become even more hopeful; then we are hopeful together.

Pray:

Take a moment this advent day to examine your relationships in the context of Jesus who came to earth as promised. Consider the ways you could give hope. Examine systemic structures in the context of Jesus. Consider what you can do to bring restoration to these structures. What will you do on this day to give hope?

Davis B. Omanyo is the Regional Team Leader for the CRWRC East Africa Ministry Team.