Hope

"Thus says the LORD, 'I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain.' Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Old men and old women will again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each man with his staff in his hand because of age. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.' " Zechariah 8:3-5, NASB

This is typically the vision of anybody who is in the work of community development. Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. The 'streets' reclaimed, safe thriving neighborhoods, the elderly sitting on front porches, families talking and laughing with other families, children playing in the streets, etc.

However when children are able to look beyond the present situation and have that kind of picture in their minds, we need to be quick to affirm and nurture that hope and that dream. I was moved this past week after talking to one of my middle school friends. He was venting some frustration about how his Mom is very strict and won't let him run around the neighborhood like the other kids. After explaining to him that even though he might not like it now, one day he is really going to appreciate and love the fact that his Mom was protective of him. Then there was a breakthrough, silence for a few seconds as he processed what I had just said. This is what followed:

"Yeah, I guess I can see how you might be right. But man, when I get older and have a family.. I'm going to have a big playground set in my backyard. And all my kids are going to be able to play on it and they won't have to worry about any of this stuff that goes on out here."

It was a special moment that God allowed for me to be a part of. I kind of stumbled in my mind for a second on how exactly to respond. I was then privileged to enforce the importance of him holding onto and remembering that hope and that dream.

Out of the mouth of babes right?