Hold Out Hope

Pondering Philippians (Day 5): Chapter 2, Verses 12-18

When the wounds go deep and the pain pours out, hurting people need a place to go. We offer what we can: a gentle smile, a note of encouragement, a listening ear over a cup of coffee. Broken people can only do so much for other broken people.

How can we, as imperfect people, offer any hope of healing? What can we do for our brothers and sisters walking heavy hearted down a broken road?

When we see someone drowning – we can hold out the life line.

Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. Hold firmly to the message of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. – Philippians 2:14-15

Hold firmly to the promises of God. That is what Paul says to believers who, like us, live in a sin-scarred world. And, epechō, the word used for hold firmly? It also means to offer or to hold out.

This world hurts and none of us are immune. We all have secret pains and public hurts. We all have family drama and sleepless nights.

So, what’s the answer?

We hold fast to the Word of God. We hang on tightly to His promises. But we don’t grip the message of life with selfish fingers. We do not keep it close to our chest. We hold it out.

We stretch out our arms and we hold out the Word to the wounded. We hold out promises of the One who comforts and redeems.

By holding out and not just holding on, we say to another soul I see you. I see you. And, more importantly, He sees you.

How do hurting people help hurting people? What can one scarred soul do for another? We can hold out the Word of life. We can throw them a lifeline of promises spoken from the very heart of God.