Author: <span>Triann Benson</span>

Hope.

A small, but powerful word.

A word that brings life, expectation, and reassurance.  Much like a life raft in a sea of darkness.

If I were an artist, I’d paint my little life raft, Hope.

I see it as a sturdy, well-loved, weather-beaten beauty.  Faded. Mismatched oars.  Littered with patches lovingly sewn on where doubt and fear and lies had struck the sides, the bottom… all attempts to sink the Hope. To sink me.

If you look closer, the patches have dates, inscriptions, even pictures. It’s a scrapbook of sorts… one that tells a story of trials, obstacles, choices. Heartbreak, difficult decisions, uphill battles against all odds.

When I gaze at it, I can see the hard-won victories, the laughter amidst the tears, and the love and faith that kept me rowing to shore. Time after time after time.

What motivates me to keep sailing? With a lifeboat that weary, one may wonder at the sanity of leaving the safety of the shoreline. But when you stop accepting invitations to adventure, you stop living. And that’s just not what I was called to. Sure, sometimes a life of sitting quietly beside the fire in a perfectly safe and sterile bubble may sound delightful, but eventually, that stirring in your soul that you were placed here on this earth for something more would overwhelm you to the point that you could no longer enjoy the monotony of ‘safe’.

My raft. My scrapbook of hope. It’s a gift. A hard-fought perseverance from faith in a greater purpose. Faith in a redeemer who lives to save. An eternal bond with the creator of the universe who cares about every trial I encounter.

“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” (Psalm 31:24)

I would be remiss if I led you to believe my hardy battle raft got to shore on its own, or solely by my sheer willpower.

The verse that keeps coming to mind as I am currently adrift at sea, frantically patching up holes, feeling like one oar in and circling the same island, is Psalm 121:1-2 “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

I could easily interchange hope and help. They both hold true.

Today I feel compelled to share this, with the hope that others will start to treasure their own lifeboats. That they will see that it’s not merely a way to ‘survive,’ it’s a conduit to share their experiences. To encourage someone else to patch up that hole. One. More. Time. Inspire others to continue to venturing down the next bend in the river, even if the last stop was a bit dicey.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds,” Hebrews 10:23-24

We may each have our own raft, but I believe we need to show up as a fleet. A sea of darkness full of rafts of light and hope and encouragement. We are in this together, really. None of us were meant to go alone for the entirety of our quest. Sometimes I need help sewing up the patches, finding – or making – a new oar, or rustling up provisions. Sometimes, someone else merely seeing that I am capable of continuing to bail more water out of the boat spurs me on. Often, I have fellow rafters come alongside and bail furiously while I rest or cry. God has given us a wonderful community of people in each body of water we have set sail in. A blessing indeed.

1 Peter 3:15 motivates us to, “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”

Share Jesus, but do so in a way that honors the other person and his or her journey.

Be the someone that says, “That sucks.” “I am so sorry.”  “You can do it!” “I am cheering you on.”

Share how you patched a seam, etched the patch, decided to keep sailing. Offer hope.

Is there a fleet waiting for your life raft to join it? Are there people on shore afraid to get in their boats? Are there rafts without light, without hope, that could use a flare or two?

Our boats our not designed to be moored in a line awaiting comparison to other boats. They are not meant to be meticulously put together and sitting inside a pristine glass bottle. These are working boats. Let’s set sail, shall we?

On Fridays, I am honored to be able to introduce you all to some of my friends. Their wisdom and perspective inspire me regularly and I’m so excited that they’ve agreed to share it here. The brave woman who volunteered to go first is the amazing Triann Benson. 

Ephesians 4:29 advises us, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

If I’m honest, that can sometimes be a challenge on a good day! Throw in the stress of a national stay-at-home order due to an international pandemic and all bets are off. At least that’s been my perception as of late. Watching the events of the last several months unfold on various social media outlets, I’ve observed a grandiose shift in atmosphere. Gone are the innocent days of “Look what I baked!” and “How cute is Johnny?” Oh those posts are still there, but perhaps fewer and farther between. And when they are there, they seem to be scrutinized in a way I haven’t seen in the past. “Why isn’t Johnny wearing a mask?” “What lengths did you go to to get yeast for that bread, or are you just a hoarder?” Yikes!

What once was a way to stay connected and be a part of others’ lives no matter the distance, has become a rather prickly place to be. As these stay-at-home orders and restrictions have gone from weeks to months, tensions are mounting, lines are being drawn, and the overall demeanor of many has gone dark. When face to face interaction is taken away, it seems a quicker leap from spark to full-fledged forest fire and everyone is getting burned. Friends, neighbors, and even families are more heated in their discussions. There’s an air of distrust, misunderstanding, and a whole lot of name calling going on.

Many threads start out with true questions, seemingly benign statements, or even just a ‘this is how I feel’ post that is valid for the person speaking. Each time I hop online to check in with friends I am increasingly saddened and discouraged by the condescending tones, the judgement, and the downright hate being spewed by people I would have never thought could behave that way. Ephesians 4:31 urges us to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, and slander, along with every form of malice.” If you think brawling with words isn’t possible, think again. The carnage is devastating and it is tearing people apart. Temptation to jump in the fray and throw in a few well-worded punches of our own, whether in defense of others or of ourselves, can be alluring, especially when the topic is something you’re passionate about.

Stop.

Wait a minute.

What is the end goal? Verbal darts are a dangerous game. If you’re hoping to make a difference in those listening, are cleverly crafted retorts (or rants) the right avenue? Or are we driving one more nail into the coffin of society as we know it?

The other enticement is to simply walk away from it all and not even engage. But…what if? What if we are being called to more? More compassion. More understanding. More grace. More speaking of the truth in love.

We must be the light bearers.

I implore you to take a step back. Evaluate what you want to convey. Pray about your words. Decipher if they should be cast out into the sea of humanity right now. I’m not saying that we are being called to silence – most certainly not. The world needs words of encouragement. Words of hope. If you are being prompted to shine light, breathe life, console, encourage, laugh with others, PLEASE do so! If those who can offer light turn away from the shadows, only darkness remains.

What kind of imprint on others do you want to leave today? I’ll leave you with the words of Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.”