Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Aspired - Despair - Diapers - Praised (08/28/25)
-
TITLE: Despair Dismantled | Previous Challenge Entry
By Noel Mitaxa
09/04/25 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Growing up in a small town whose biggest employer mostly offered only seasonal work, his career options were limited at best.
His father had a permanent occupation, and walked past our house each way and each day to his regular position – on a stool as the most regular patron of the bar two blocks walk away from home. Home was a tiny cottage where Scott’s mother and his younger siblings struggled to survive on what was left of basic welfare after the beer money had been skimmed off the top.
His friends were average kids with similar low horizons who made their own fun, without hitting any local headlines. None of them showed any spark either way – as if they were destined to become either killers or priests. It was like they shared a dull cynicism - even a sense of despair - about themselves and about life in general.
Then, quite out of the blue, Scott appeared at church and sensed that he was welcome, despite his total lack of knowledge or experience in any religion. He kept on coming and showing more interest in what we were about; asking questions about the bible, and bringing his younger brother along.
This was a bit much for some of his friends, who preferred to keep a low profile, suspicious of any moves that might promise so much but deliver so little – or even worse, result in a bigger collection of hassles than they had started with.
Scott kept on coming and, in handing his life over to Jesus’ Lordship, started to tell his friends about how great it was to know Jesus, and about the changes they could also know if they made the same move.
A few friends began to warm to the possibility, but some reacted so sharply that I wondered how he would handle it.
I needn’t have worried, because when I heard some of the ridicule they were heaping on him, Scott’s reply showed a depth of spiritual insight that outstripped his lack of education.
In only eight words, he also summarized my four years of theological studies…
“I’d rather be a Christian than a no-hoper!”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
