Advent seems to be an especially good time to pause and reflect on the many ways God has blessed each one of us. I couldn’t help but think about this topic after a recent conversation. Another fellow and I were perusing some photos of the Hope House boys on a bulletin board set up at church. The fellow made a comment that got me thinking; he said, “What do these boys have to look forward to?” Perhaps this is a natural inclination for many on the outside, looking in. After pondering this gentleman’s comment though, I have come to the conclusion that these boys do indeed have a lot to look forward to, and a lot to be thankful for right now.
To begin with, they are surrounded by people who truly love them and want to see them mature as productive citizens in society. All of the staff and volunteers at Hope House have a keen interest in encouraging the boys and teaching them the values and skills they will need for success in life. Each one of the boys has chores they are responsible for, and completion of homework is a high priority. They are learning English and other vocational skills (like woodworking) that could be valuable for them later in life. The boys are also taught the importance of respect for adults and each other. True, the boys are not living with their biological mothers and fathers, but nonetheless they know and experience unconditional love everyday. For some, it may be the first time in their lives that they have experienced such wholehearted love and acceptance—even if they have come from a two-parent family.
The greatest blessing I believe these boys experience—and the one that will benefit them most in life—is the Christian nurture they receive. All of the boys hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are encouraged to grow in Him. They spend time in devotions and prayer everyday. Five, ten, twenty years from now only God knows where these boys will be and what kind of a positive influence they could have on someone else because of the Christian foundation that was laid years earlier. I believe some of them will be the Christian leaders of the future, having the opportunity to bless countless others in the name of Christ. Advent reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways. Who could have imagined that God’s plan of salvation for mankind included coming to earth as a baby, in a manger, the child of humble parents with no political clout? Who could have imagined what God could do? Who can imagine what God will do?
This Advent, take some time to thank God for his abundant blessings in your life, the greatest of which is salvation through Jesus Christ. But rest assured that you can also trust Him with whatever challenges you face. He is God, and He can…
