Having spent some time reflecting on the series of "Why I am..." posts over the last several days, it occurs to me that the list is incomplete. Because in addition to being tolerant, rational, contemplative, an evolutionist, an Ally, an open theist and a (sort of, but not really) universalist - or perhaps more accurately because of all of those things, I am slowly becoming radically optimistic.
All of those things add up in my mind to good news. And as we enter Holy Week leading up to Easter, I can't help but think that the world could use some good news.
Not the good news that declares some people in and other people out. Not the good news that is intolerant and exclusive. Not the good news, in other words, that isn't good news at all.
What the world needs is the good news that makes me an optimist - the good news that God actually truly cares about the world God created; the good news that, in the end, God's love will win; the good news that earthquakes and floods and death and dying and even hell are not the end; the good news that Jesus - the man who died on a cross, was buried and rose again - has conquered death and hell forever.
Forever.
As in eternity.
That's a long time...and in all that time, death and hell will never win. That's good news.
And that's what makes me an optimist.
I can be optimistic in the face of hatred because I know that the day is coming when even hatred will pale in the face of the love of God. I can be optimistic in the face of poverty because I know that the day is coming when the God who already suffers with the poor will make all things right. I can be optimistic in the face of war because I know the day is coming when peace will reign.
In short, I have more hope now than I have ever had at any point in my life. Whereas before the God I was told to believe in seemed to stand in contrast to real hope, now I am convinced that God is the source of all hope.
Like I said, that's good news.
jB
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