An unsaved neighbor recently asked me, “Where can I find hope?” She knows I’m a Christian. For the past few years she and her husband have joined our family for Thanksgiving dinner. Little did we know, she was paying close attention to our family dynamics and in particular, our two teenagers. Their respectfulness and maturity stood out to her. After many years of dismissing our worldview as irrelevant and oppressive, she’s now wondering if Christianity might be good for kids, and by extension, the entire world.

Christianity—whether it be the biblical version or the well-known caricature of it—is increasingly scorned. In her recent article, “Western Civilization Still Needs a Christian Foundation,” Sharon James notes that 25% of Gen Z teens cite hypocrisy among Christians as their reason for not believing in God. But it’s not just young people. My neighbor said the very same thing, and she represents a sea of individuals who long for a peaceful society where justice reigns and every person is valued. Though the Bible is likely the last place they’d look for a solution, James argues that those values are inherently biblical. For God, she says, is the one who “gives equal dignity to every individual,” (Gen. 1:26–27). Christianity offers the freedom and human flourishing people desire.

My neighbor’s quest for hope encourages me. Recent events have shown her that the world is in more trouble than she thought. Let’s pray that the division and turmoil of our age will drive many to ask Christians about the hope we have in Christ.

SHARONDA COOPER
Content Coordinator
tgc.org/women