For more than 45 years, Mother Teresa ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned and dying in Calcutta, India. Through determination and faithfulness to her calling, she founded Missionaries of Charity, an international humanitarian organization, which inspired the world to take a closer look at the suffering.
Poverty in Third World nations is easy to spot. However, what about the poverty plaguing our rich and prosperous First World?
The greatest disease in the world is loneliness
Mother Teresa said loneliness is the most terrible poverty. She would know. When beginning her ministry, she had no income. Resorting to begging for food and supplies, Teresa experienced the same doubt, loneliness and poverty she had set out to combat.
Rob Perry in July 2009’s LifeTrac article, In Spite of the Evidence, observed most people, including Christians, are not happy. This unhappiness results in loneliness, fear and depression. He said we are not happy because we live in a fallen world and are separated from God.
In his article, Perry prompts us to embrace hope in order to dispel loneliness. Jim Wallis, an American writer and social activist said, “Hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change.” But what can we hope for? In this busy and broken world filled with lonely people, how do we choose hope over despair?
Paul, in his letter to the Romans said: “And the prophet Isaiah said, ‘The heir to David’s throne will come…They will place their hope in him.’ So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with the power of the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 12-13 NLT).
Hope is a choice. Every time we choose to carry on despite our difficulties, we are choosing to anticipate and trust God’s promises.
By Robyn Roste
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