A few evenings ago, having just put wet clothes into my dryer, it stopped working. For a few minutes, I went through all the trouble-shooting measures recommended by the manufacturer, but nothing fixed the situation. Fortunately, there is a laundry room with a pay dryer that people who live in the building can use. The downside is I had to access it by going through my garage, which leads to an alley.    

It was late evening on one of those rare, exceptionally cold Southern California nights. I was not exactly thrilled about opening my garage door to a view of a dark alley, but the thought of leaving those wet clothes in the dryer overnight spurred me into courageous action.  

When I raised the door, I was surprised to see a woman standing in the alley across from my garage. She was shoeless and coatless. If I were to take a guess, those were all her worldly possessions spread on the ground in front of her. She had a lost look on her face, her hair was matted, and she had several teeth missing; nevertheless, she was smiling. Since space will not permit me to give all the details of the drama, I will summarize this approximately forty-five minute scenario.

I asked her if she had any place to stay for the night. She responded affirmatively. Her yes was followed by asking if I had a bag in which she could put her things. Next, she requested a blanket, but not a coat. I was able to give her one. She had a few more requests.   

Several garage door openings and closings later, a large canvas bag, shoes for her feet, a blanket, and juice, she was ready to leave. I prayed for her and encouraged her to go to the shelter before their time for taking in people ended. Later, when I opened the garage door to go and remove my clothes from the dryer, she was gone.   

This event graphically illustrates how you can instill hope into another person. (Hebrew definition means an “expectation of some good thing.”) Hope is the salve that helps lessen the pain of loss, the certainty of victory when the odds of winning are zero, good news, and strength when life is going to be cut short. It’s loyalty that holds fast and moves forward when everyone else turns away.

Among the remarkable Biblical examples of hope is the story of Gideon, who, by today’s standards, would probably be perceived as gutless and fearful. But according to Godly standards, he was a “valiant warrior.” (Judges 6:12) He tested God three times seeking a sign (of hope) that He could help him deliver Israel. Gideon finally gained courage, hoped in God, and with 300 “lappers” (Judges 7:7), was able to defeat thousands of Midianite troops and deliver Israel from bondage.  

There is no shortage of needed hope. In fact, we all need it. Hopelessness is deeper than a financial or political issue. Hopelessness is a spiritual problem. No matter who you are, at some time in your life journey, you will need a good hope-soaking moment to revive your faith and keep you on track.  

Ignoring women, children, and young people who live on the streets and are being exploited does not present a model of success or image of hope for our country. How many times can we go around or step over the homeless person(s) or families sleeping in a doorway, cardboard box, or on the beach?  And lest we forget, remember the animals.  

Each of us has been given the gift of hope. Today, stir up and activate that gift to pass on to whomever and wherever it is needed. What a wonderful blessing when we venture out to make a major investment of hope (expectation of some good thing) in the life of another. 

Unless you live on a deserted island, you’ve seen or heard at least one commercial or advertisement for a weight loss diet. To date, there are nine listed among the most popular, but the list goes well beyond these. U.S. News & World Report with input from a “panel of experts” recently ranked the top diets for 2020 based on the criteria of the best overall score, weight loss achieved, and if it was healthy¹

The operative word for each of these plans heralding wholesome physical choices of veggies, fruit, salads, declared lean meat and consumption of lots of fresh water, is diet. Nutritionally, the word diet means “food or drink regularly consumed by people or other organisms for basic nourishment.” Individual choices made in consuming food and drink can be either healthy or not so much.

Surprisingly, the word diet was recognized in English during the 13th century disclosing its original Greek meaning: “Way of living or of leading one’s life.”

Given this definition, the purpose of diet also should introduce us to the concept of a healthy diet for the soul. Primary to our social development is having a healthy mind diet to direct our lives. The cliché “garbage in, garbage out” moves to the top of the chart when it comes to monitoring what you feed your mind.

The proverbial saying, “You are what you eat,” reflects the notion that eating good food will lead to fitness and health. Equally important to your physical health is a healthy mind/soul companion. Like conjoined twins sharing vital organs, surgical separation is extremely difficult, with few successes.  An unhealthy mind diet opens the door to the symptoms of mental suicide: depression, fear, guilt, illogical thinking, and other types of destructive behaviors.   

For example, recently, a list of what people perceived to be the scariest horror film endings was published online. I read some of the comments, and they were repetitive in their emotional conclusion of fear: “This scene scared the bejeebers out of me, I never forgot it;” “I still remember this scene, I was so scared I couldn’t sleep for days after watching it.” “I was scared to turn off the lights after watching this scene.” Movies of this type generate negative fear—dread, alarm, terror, panic, and fright. Negative fear crawls into your mind and makes a home in your soul for an extended time, diminishing the possibilities that can flourish within a strong, sound, vigorous, healthy mind. It perverts the benefit of short-term healthy fear, which arises in the presence or anticipation of danger to move toward avoidance.

My neighbor watches the news 24/7. Nothing she speaks about generates positive energy. Imagine listening to someone repeat line-by-line the negative comments made by others concerning politics. They are toxic, unwholesome, and destructive to a healthy mental diet.

”You become like the company you keep” is one of the other common clichés proclaimed by motivational speakers. Jails and prisons are filled with people who will corroborate this statement. On the other side of this statement are the relationship between Jonathan and David, one of the purest and most famous friendships in Biblical history, and the devotion between Ruth, the Moabite and her mother-in-law, Naomi.

It’s not easy digesting a nutritious diet for your mind, given the amount of shrapnel-like (fragments) of stimuli that come at us daily. But there is a mind/soul diet guaranteed to be beneficial every time you digest it.

• First, change your mind diet: refresh, (like your computer screen) restore or repair it with healthy thoughts, words, people. (Romans 12:2)
• Next, add the following list of wholesome things to become part of your regular mind diet and lifestyle: truth, honor/inspiration, just, moral/unpolluted, splendid, admirable, laudable, praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8)
• Finally, it will only hurt for a short time-– television, newspapers, and radio are not your friends. (Mark 4:24)

There is no contradiction between a healthy mind, a healthy body, and a healthy life. They all lead to the abundant path God has chosen for you.