"Buying Into Faith"

For this month, the series "Ripped from the Headlines" will showcase a news story that is current and hopeful.  Though so much that is negative makes the top of the headlines, I will strive to focus on positive stories, as possible. It may be that the positive story comes out of a lonely, desperate, possibly dreadful initial story. But what seed of hope can we find in the headlines that shows us the peaceable kingdom at work?

This is the news story I will base things on this week.

Scripture is Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

This story is heartwarming, but starts in a sad and fearful place. These young boys were afraid that they were going to get taken up into gang life, without being able to stop it, which must have been scary. Must still be scary.

But they reached out to this woman, an employee of the local housing authority, in the story and fortunately, she did the best right thing first. She hired them to work for the LaGrange Housing Authority immediately, no questions asked. She hired them to protect them.

We read so much in the news about racial strife and white privilege and perceived indifference to each other on both sides.  But this story shows us the way it should be done.  She sees an immediate problem and helps to solve it, but it should be noted that the problem needed to be pointed out to her. Fortunately she paid attention.

The writer of Hebrews in this eloquent passage, (one of my favorites), tells us faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It also speaks of looking forward to a homeland, a promised land, and desiring a better country.

This is what is happening in this story. And in other stories that don't get nearly enough press time.  People are reaching out across differences to create a new relationship and a new community together.  One request, one answer, one life at a time.

What positive stories about reaching out across differences do you know?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the link below.