Hope: It’s more than a campaign slogan

During the last presidential campaign, the word "hope" was used as part of a slick and savvy campaign slogan. Seeing the response to it, it is obvious that the candidate struck the heart strings of many people.

There is no doubt – people need hope! The word could be seen on all types of media, from bumper stickers, to yard signs, to TV commercials. To me, the more it was used, the more it was "run into the ground" and lost its meaning. Personally, as a pastor who sees the lives of other people, who sees his community's need for the basics of food, clothing, shelter, diapers, paying the light bill, and who has prayed with those who are jobless and about to lose their house or car, it was apparent that the way the word was used last year had no bearing upon people's lives today.