Hold On To Hope

I started watching Ted Lasso again and realized that it's still the kind of television show America needs more than ever. 

If you are unfamiliar with Ted Lasso, here's the "official" description: 

An American football coach is hired to manage a British soccer team; what he lacks in knowledge he makes up for in optimism, determination and biscuits.

The creator and star of Ted Lasso is Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis, who plays the character of Ted Lasso to perfection.  His unusual style of coaching, which focuses on player motivation, kindness, and honesty, transforms everyone around him. 

And the Lasso quotes, oh, the quotes... they are fantastic.  

Above everything else, Lasso seeks to instill hope in his players, coaches, and even the team's management, who hired him under false pretenses. He was brought on to fail but somehow defies everyone's expectations. 

Below is one of the Lasso-isms that I absolutely love: 

“I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you. … See, I believe in hope. I believe in belief.”

Lasso even creates a handmade sign with the word "Believe" on it that he tapes above the locker room door so his players can see it on their way to the pitch (field) daily.  

Hopelessness is one of society's most insidious parasites, and we have seen more than our fair share of it over the last few years. It eats away at every aspect of our lives, stealing joy, creating anger and bitterness, affecting relationships, and causing division. 

It's easy to let Hopelessness creep in when we're constantly being told by politicians, religious leaders, and media organizations, who thrive on fear that we should be afraid, anxious, and uncertain.  

But Hope is so much more powerful than we can imagine.  It always finds a way to stay alive, no matter what sort of assault it is enduring.  Even when we think it has vanished, it persists, waiting for its moment. 

It's impossible to ignore that we are in yet another contentious and divisive election season.  

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of being told I should be afraid, and I'm weary of listening to politicians who continue to use fear as their primary motivating factor in turning out voters. 

Enough, already. 

Is it time we started letting Hope loose into the world?  I  think so.  This is Hope's moment. It hasn't fled in the face of whatever fears are being stoked.  And it will triumph over fear if we are brave enough to begin feeling hopeful.  

Christians should not be manipulated into choosing fear instead of hope.  The story of our faith is grounded in the hope that death, sin, evil, fear, violence, and all manner of fear-inducing things don't get to win and never get the last word. 

Our hope should not be diminished no matter the outcome of elections or what the sensationalized media proclaims, and certainly not because of anything that politicians and religious leaders say to scare us. 

Hope is making a comeback, y'all.  We can believe it because it is embedded within us by the One who risked it all to give it to the world.  

Hold on to your hope because it's worth believing in.  Hold on to your hope because it is stronger than your fears.  Hold on to hope because it can't be taken from you unless you relinquish it.  Hold on to hope because it will save us all.  

May it be so, and may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, now and forever. Amen.