Hope has a way of turning up in unexpected places.
Same thing happens with Hope Rocks. The Tin Man is a familiar landmark to Northern Colorado cyclists. Here’s our friend Ed posing with his Hope Rock. But if you look closely, you’ll see another Hope Rock perched on the Tin Man’s arm.
Who expected this conglomeration of junk to be an ambassador of hope?
Hope Rocks have been to lofty mountain passes and coffee shops. They live in toolboxes and on office desks, where they often start conversations when someone asks, “What’s that about?” Hope Rocks decorate gardens and entry tables and bedside stands to remind people of the kids we support and the burdens they bear every single day.
A couple of years ago, Becky selected a Hope Rock she really liked. It was a cool shade of pale blue, and she became quite attached to it. Carried it everywhere for several weeks. It was “her” rock.
At a stop on the mountain tour that year, she started a conversation with a young woman. The details don’t matter, but Becky felt like she needed talk about hope and to hand this woman a Hope Rock. She ALWAYS carried extras, but she reached into her jersey pocket and discovered the only one she had was her special rock.
Jesus taught our entire team something with that interaction. As much as she secretly treasured that rock, we need to hold our stuff loosely, in open hands. It doesn’t belong to us.
Faithful with a little, faithful with a lot.
I don’t know if Ed left his extra rock when he continued his ride. If he did, I’ll bet the Tin Man willingly shared it with whoever came along and needed a bit of hope.
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If you’d like your own Hope Rock, you can order one (or a few) here. We’ll happily ship them.