Keep Hoping
As dramatic news of election fallout shifts to process stories, I’m honestly relieved to return my attention to more foundational differences between the United States and the Kingdom of God. After all, American Christians’ choice to support an ungodly candidate like Donald Trump is merely a symptom of a deeper misunderstanding: that we can ever fully embrace both our nation and our God.
I do, however, want to take the chance to share one more story that focuses a bit more on the Trump of it all. This week, God was so gracious as to remind me that—in the midst of all my frustration with the choices of my American brothers and sisters in Christ—there is still good reason for hope. Our Lord reminded me that I am never allowed to give up on my fellow American Christians, however frustrating they may be at times.
In ten years of teaching, I have only ever been afraid to have one student in my class. From what I saw of this student as a sophomore, I actually lost sleep worrying about what it would be like to have such a notoriously chaotic, disruptive, and just plain obstinate pupil amongst the following year’s juniors. My concern was compounded by the fact I teach American history, and this student was known for loudly proclaiming a host of baseless conspiracy theories and controversial positions. My course seemed like a minefield laden with pending outbursts I would have to manage.
Thankfully, I’ve been both teaching and following Jesus long enough to know how powerful prayer can be when facing such situations. Throughout the summer, I prayed for this student. I would like to say I prayed for my relationship with all my students, but apparently I’m not that good a teacher yet.
As he does with so many things, the Lord proved faithful. In an otherwise particularly troublesome class, this once-dreaded student ended up being a genuine delight. Sure, he had a bad habit of blurting out responses, but even his classmates seemed surprised to find that what he blurted was actually relevant, thoughtful, and considerate of others' positions. Whatever happened over the summer, both this student’s peers and I saw someone quite transformed from what he had been just a few months earlier.
After being delightfully surprised by this student’s growth, I was thus quite disheartened when I saw this student take what seemed like a step backward this year. Now a senior, he seemed to get quite swept up in the fervor of the recent election cycle. I heard from my colleagues that he had returned to his old habit of loudly proclaiming problematic and controversial takes on a host of subjects, all the while daily sporting some new piece of MAGA gear. It was tragic to watch this student—who had become such a source of hope in my class—backslide based on the misguided influence of those around him.
Given this seeming reversion to his old patterns, I was genuinely shocked—and more than a little worried—to hear that this student would be speaking at our school’s chapel. I trust our campus chaplain implicitly, and so I was quite confused that she would present this particular student with the opportunity to speak on matters of the gospel, given what I had heard from fellow teachers. As before, fear and worry crept in as I thought of what it would be like to listen to him share.
As before, the Lord proved that I had nothing to fear.
What this student shared was simply beautiful. Speaking from the parable of the hidden treasure, the student spoke about his personal journey toward appreciating our Lord more and more. He shared plainly and honestly about how finding Jesus was the best thing he—and any of his peers—could ever hope to do. He didn’t brag; he didn’t spout any problematic opinions. He just spoke the truth of the gospel in a way that was deeply empathetic and understanding of his classmates. It turns out when this student—as is the case with anyone—had a genuine encounter with Jesus, all the trappings, cruft, and influence of this world melted away, and God shined through.
I don’t think I can fully articulate the hope this made me feel. Once again, the Lord showed me that someone I fully dreaded could turn into a powerful force for good, if God was simply invited to act. Before he was in my class, the Lord was gracious to answer my prayer, and profoundly blessed my relationship with this student. Now, that student did the work of seeking Jesus himself, and God did a powerful work in and through him.
For some of us, we need a reminder of this hope right now. Maybe you have a family member or friend who has been swept up in all the ungodliness of this last election. Maybe your work, church, or school community has become a toxic place that seems to be misrepresenting Jesus. Maybe you are just not at all looking forward to American Christians reaping what we’ve sown over the next four years. Whatever your circumstance, I pray the Lord brings you some of the same hope he has brought me. I pray he daily surprises you with how faithful he can be, until that faithfulness stops being so surprising.
God promises he will be good to us. May the fact that we serve a promise-keeping God become more true to each of us, day by day.