Hope is not Hard to Find

Oct 21

Someone recently asked me, “Where are you finding hope these days?” Well, I tend to be a generally hopeful person. I think it’s part natural disposition, part coping mechanism and part occupational hazard, but I tend to operate under the assumption that things are going to be alright. Since hope is a kind of companion to me, I am often less aware of the particular people or activities that are helping to sustain it. But when asked the question on this particular day, I knew exactly what to point to as a source of hope.

You see it was just a day earlier that a group of middle school students had gathered in front of Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson’s office to send him a message. They wanted to let him know that his dehumanizing words about the LGBTQ community were a gross mischaracterization of the folks they know and love. My colleague Melissa Florer-Bixler, pastor of Raleigh Mennonite Church, handed out colorful sheets of paper and invited the youth to write their own name or the name of a LGBTQ friend or sibling along with all the adjectives they could think of to describe that person. The students wrote things like “kind”, “artistic”, “confident”, “funny”, “loving”. When finished, they would tape all the sheets together and deliver them to the Lt. Governor as one oversized letter.

While the kids were working on their letter, one woman from among a handful of counterprotestors began to yell at them telling them that they were confused and needed a relationship with God. Instinctively, a couple dozen adults who had gathered to support the youth formed a human wall of separation between the students and the woman. When she moved, we moved together, in formation, keeping her at bay. Unfortunately, this did not keep her quiet. As she yelled even more loudly, Nancy Petty asked the adult supporters, “Is there a song we can sing?” Without missing a beat, someone began to sing, “This little light of mine…”, and the other voices joined in unison, “...I’m gonna let it shine.” Just like that, a voice of discouragement was drowned out by a song of determination.

In that moment it occurred to me, “This is how you protect children!” Not by shielding them from the realities of human sexuality and gender identity, but by giving them space to live honestly, to love freely and to lead fiercely.

I believe that what we are experiencing with Mark Robinson and others like him is the old guard making its last stand. What I witnessed last week was young people ready and able to stand up to the challenge. It is their voice that is rising; their song carrying us forward. That gives me great hope!