My Witness: The Way of Jesus is a Way of Hope

A final post about “my witness,” brief reflections on truths I have learned from my experience with Jesus.

Our world, torn asunder by division and hostility, needs people who will embrace Jesus’ calling to be peacemakers, not just peacekeepers and conflict-avoiders. Peacemakers go into situations of misunderstanding and work for understanding, pray for their enemies until they are no longer enemies, and interrupt the cycle of violence and vengeance by renouncing violence in all its forms. This interrupting of the cycle of violence includes a refusal of the forms and tones violence takes in many interpersonal relationships: subtle and not-so subtle manipulation, intimidation, and passive aggressive attempts to undermine other people. Jesus called this refusal of violence “turning the other cheek.”

Our world, confused and betrayed by deception, needs people who will speak simply and straightforwardly, without the fog and smoke of hype and spin. Jesus described this plain truthfulness as “letting your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ ‘no.’”

Our world needs people who see and feel the presence of Jesus in the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the stranger, and the prisoners and, therefore, will see to it that they are fed sheltered, welcomed, visited, and loved.

Our world needs people who know that the poverty they see in the world mirrors the poverty in their own spirits, who hunger and thirst for justice, and whose response to brokenness and sin is never condemnation but always mercy.

This way of Jesus is a way of hope; it is light in our darkened world.