To be a Christian is to carry within ourselves a heavy dose of idealism. Day in and day out we must be idealists to hold hopes for this world that are against all odds.
Against all odds, we hope for a world that recognizes a shared humanity. Where people who are white name our sordid history with people who are not white, and then together propose to make it better.
Against all odds, we (Lutherans) idealistically tell babies at baptism to work for justice and peace throughout their lives, even though my own culture will tell them to perpetuate unjust systems that oppress the poor.
Against all odds, we hope for communities to work together to contend with a global pandemic, even it means wearing a mask to the grocery store and to church. Against all odds, we pray and pray for people to care more about each other than their politics, supporting community leaders and putting a faithful stop to angry Facebook memes.
Today is another day that demands outrageous idealism from each one of us who claims to be a Christian, which means to love our neighbor. Perhaps we might even dare to believe, against all odds, that Jesus Christ would make all things new again today. And maybe even tomorrow. All things. All people. All cultures. All communities.
Against all odds.
Lisa Lewton 