Every day one can read a Bible passage, or even a
line, and continually uncover profound ways it can be transformative for any
individual. Here’s a good case in point – a Bible verse from my reading this
morning.
“And we boast or rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God. We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Romans 5:2-4
We are going to endure suffering and challenges in the world, but we must persevere because we should really want this kind of character of which Paul speaks, for it is the only true source of hope. In the context of Romans 5:3–4, the "hope" referred to is not some vague desire for a low-probability event to happen, it is a profound and enduring confidence in God's promises and the ultimate fulfilment of His plan for humanity – so there is no better or truer definition of what we should hope for than this hope. Here, hope is a confident expectation rooted in trusting God. Our suffering produces perseverance, which makes us steadfastness and resilient, and this shapes our character. And it is through this character that we can withstand life’s challenges, draw on God’s strength, and live a hopeful life in Christ.
Let me reiterate, we should want this kind of character, because it gradually shapes us into the people the world needs, and into the individuals we should desire to be, because it is what we were Divinely created to become. The converse of that is to live like Mathieu Delarue, a character from Jean-Paul Sartre’s novel The Age of Reason. Reflecting on the existentialist theme of wasted potential, regret, and the realisation that time has passed without having truly lived, he says:
“I have led a toothless life, he thought. A toothless life. I have never bitten into anything. I was waiting. I was reserving myself for later on - and I have just noticed that my teeth have gone."
This quote reflects the stark realisation of a life unfulfilled due to inaction and perpetual postponement. Sartre uses the metaphor of "teeth" to signify vitality, agency, and the capacity to engage with life's challenges and joys. To live a "toothless life" is to avoid biting into the raw substance of existence, choosing instead to wait for an undefined future that never arrives. The discovery that one's "teeth have gone" is a moment of anguish - a confrontation with the irrevocable passage of time and the wasted potential of one's freedom. It is a poignant reminder that existence demands engagement now, because uncourageous inaction and disengagement is the silent thief of authenticity, meaning and, ultimately, our Divine calling.
