Witness of Hope - Hope in the Grandeur of God

In his letter to Timothy, Paul offers a challenge and encouragement that still resonates today: “Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity” (1 Timothy 4:12). These words remind me of the beauty of the spirit of young people—a season when energy, passion, and courage can witness powerfully to the world. I have seen this truth come alive, and it has given me hope.

I carried this verse in my heart when I traveled to Costa Rica with a group of high school students and adults to help rebuild a summer camp for children. The work was demanding—scraping and painting walls, digging ditches, and lots of plastering— but my students approached each task with joy and determination. They lost themselves in the work, and the work became a conduit for relationships.

There were no cell phones or emails to answer. We had no meetings to attend, nor concern for what was next. There was only what was in front of us. We were free.

In the afternoons, we played with children from the community who sometimes just showed up. There was laughter, lots of soccer games, shared snacks, and the kind of easy friendship that needs no translation. My students became manifesters of HOPE—Christ’s hands and feet—without even realizing it, setting an example in their speech, conduct, and love, just as Paul wrote. Watching them, I thought of Timothy’s calling: to lead not despite his youth, but because of the integrity and faith he could live out in front of others. My students used what they are to manifest HOPE.

I saw how the goodness flowing from these young people was not performative, but natural. They weren’t seeking praise; they were simply living as if love mattered– because it does! That authenticity filled me with hope. In a world that often questions whether the next generation will rise to its challenges, I saw living proof that they already are. Every generation is called to use who and where they are to be manifesters of hope in their own unique manner.

During that trip, I also felt what Gerard Manley Hopkins describes in his poem God’s Grandeur: “The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” I felt that charge in the rolling green surrounding the camp, in the humid air heavy with the scent of flowers, in the trees filled with bananas and coffee beans, in the sounds of birds that I had never heard before, in fresh cut fruit, and in the sound of children’s laughter echoing between buildings. I felt it in the sight of my students’ hands, speckled with paint and dirt, their faces lit with the joy of having done something good for others. God’s grandeur is not confined to mountaintop miracles, though we were literally on the mountaintops of Costa Rica; it radiates from everyday acts of service that ripple far beyond what we can see.

Throughout our lives, we are lifted by witnesses of hope—people, places, and moments that awaken our belief again when it begins to fade. Sometimes that witness is a friend who shows resilience in the face of loss. Sometimes it is a stranger whose kindness restores our faith in humanity. Sometimes it is a moment in nature—a sunrise, a star-filled night sky—that reminds us renewal is possible.

In Costa Rica, my witnesses of hope were the very students I had come to guide. I saw it in the way they encouraged one another when the work was tiring. I saw it in the way they welcomed children into games without hesitation. I saw it in the quiet contentment at the end of each day, knowing their efforts would bless children they might never meet. These were not grand gestures in the world’s eyes, but they were saturated with the grandeur of God—the kind that shines brightest in humility and love.

Paul’s words to Timothy remind me that hope is not always handed down from elders to youth. Sometimes it flows in the other direction—from the vibrancy of the young to the hearts of those who have walked longer roads. My students became living examples of 1 Timothy 4:12, and in doing so, they renewed my faith in the goodness that still exists in the world.

As I reflect on my time in Costa Rica, I see that I went there thinking I was going to give—my time, my labor, my energy. But what I received was far greater: a deepened trust in God’s goodness, a renewed sense of what it means to be part of God’s work in the world, and a reminder that hope is both a gift and a responsibility.

Perhaps we all need moments when we, like Timothy, are called to lead by example in our own speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Perhaps we all need places, like a mission trip in Costa Rica, where the labor of our hands becomes a prayer. And perhaps we all need to look for the grandeur of God that charges the world—so that when we see it, we, too, may live as witnesses of hope.

Going Deeper:

• Gratitude Walk: Take a slow walk outdoors, paying attention to signs of God’s grandeur in nature—sunlight filtering through leaves, the sound of wind, the laughter of people nearby. With each step, thank God for a specific witness of hope in your life.

• Hands of Service Prayer: Choose a small act of service — writing an encouraging note, helping a neighbor, or volunteering. Before and after the act, pray for the person you’re serving and ask God to let your hands be instruments of his hope.

• Scripture Reflection Journal: Write 1 Timothy 4:12 at the top of a journal page. Underneath, list examples of young people (without naming names) who have inspired you with their faith, conduct, and love. Pray over each example, thanking God and asking him to strengthen their witness.

Photo by James Ting on Unsplash.

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Stephanie Clouatre Davis

Stephanie Clouatre Davis graduated from Loyola University New Orleans. Stephanie speaks to adults and teens around the nation at parishes, high schools, and dioceses in various venues including retreats and conferences. With humor, joy, and stories, Stephanie not only fully engages her audiences but also inspires them to challenge themselves and build a stronger relationship with God. She lives in Covington, Louisiana with her husband Michael and two girls Emma and Abby.