Hope…

It’s been a rough several days. But things are changing. The protests in the States have turned mostly peaceful. Still powerful, but mostly peaceful.

(And can I just say what an amazing pivot that has been? To go from cities burning and windows smashed and people on both sides hurt, to the image of thousands sitting or kneeling with their hands in the air? With people singing “Lean on Me” and holding up cell phones with their flashlights lit? May it continue in this vein.)

There is a rising sense of hope as the former officers involved in the killing of George Floyd have been charged. And as marches have been seen all around the world – attended by people of different races, creeds and cultures. And as some police have made the gesture of praying with the protesters, of taking a knee before them. (Let me say this clearly, I am not saying that the problems or solved or even that those officers who took the time to kneel and to pray were – to a man/woman – without blemish in terms of their use of force during all of this.)

It is good to feel a sense of hope. It is good to see things changing. It is good that the world seems united in the drive and desire to make sure that George Floyd’s death was not in vain.

It was so good to hear former President Obama encourage the youth of today to make a difference.

A couple of weeks ago, on the Sunday Worship blog, I used the hymn, “Let us hope when hope seems hopeless.” It’s a hymn that cries out for us to cling to hope even in the worst and most difficult times. It is an anthem for these times.

In the sermon of that worship blog, I made the commitment to bring sidewalk chalk with me on walks. In order to write and share messages of hope with the community. So here are some of those messages. I have more chalk, and I’ll do more as the days progress. We need hope and kindness now more than ever: