Reaching out with a simple act of kindness can make a huge difference to those who are struggling in life. In his latest Sentinel ‘Yours Faithfully’ column, Saltbox Church Liason Officer Tim Lucas takes a look at the theme of ‘hope’ and an inspirational story taking place up in the North East of England.
Last week, a teenager called Paige Hunter from Sunderland was given a commendation certificate from Northumbria Police. They described her actions as an “innovative way to reach out to those in a dark place”. The interesting thing is that her actions were remarkably easy, but have saved the lives of at least six people.
Miss Hunter simply attached around 40 uplifting messages to Wearmouth Bridge at various points, saying things as simple as “You’re not alone” followed by a helpline telephone number.
Hope is a profoundly resilient thing, and yet at the same time it can be a very hard thing to get a hold on. When a person is struggling with lack of hope, the world becomes an even darker, more difficult place, and breaking that cycle by oneself is a near impossibility.
There is a story in the Bible of a man named Job. His story is complex and interesting, but the simple outline of it is that Job is massively afflicted with family deaths, loss of everything he owned, and suffering with terrible disease. At one point he asks, “Who can see any hope for me?” That is quite a telling question.
Those among us who are enduring the most difficult of times often cannot see for themselves a way out. For them, the pain feels like it will last forever, the affliction seems like it will never end, and the sorrow appears to be bottomless.
In those times vision can be obscured, and it can feel like there is never going to be an end to all that they are experiencing. In those times, they rely on someone else’s eyes, someone who can “see hope for them”. And in seeing hope, to do what they can to give it to them.
The actions of Paige Hunter shows that all it takes to inject some hope into a person’s situation is one moment. There is a moment between a person having a destructive thought, and following that through. It is often a very small window of time, but hope is powerful and does not need a huge amount of time to make the strongest of impacts.
The actions of Paige Hunter shows that all it takes to inject some hope into a person’s situation is a simple sentence. Words of affirmation and encouragement, even between strangers who do not know each other’s situations at all, go a long way. It may be the only encouraging words they have heard that day, or it may be the same as they have heard but said in a different way; but either way they are vitally important words to say.
Are there people you know who need to use your eyes to see hope? Are there simple ways in which you can create moments of hope that will benefit others?
Are you struggling? Does life weigh down upon you? Please pause. Take a moment. Breathe. And perhaps one of Paige Hunter’s messages will help you today: “Even though things are difficult, your life matters; you’re a shining light in a dark world, so just hold on.”
The world is better for having you in it.
Tim Lucas (Saltbox Church Liason Officer)