We Are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

"We are the ones we've been waiting for."

The statement makes a great foundation for a political speech. It is a call to action. It seems that every generation somehow is waiting for some sort of deliverance-- some great hero, someone who will stand up, correct what is wrong, and bring hope and renewal. Those who wait for such persons are more often disappointed than not. Time goes by, wrongs are not righted, and hope and renewal seem as far away as ever before.

Nothing takes place until action is decided and accomplished. The old adage has it that the road to hell is paved with good intentions; to this we can add "waiting for change." Generations can come and go, and if people are just waiting and watching, nothing will occur. The tragic irony is that most of the time, the very people who wait and watch are the ones who could make the changes themselves, if only they realized that they were the ones they were waiting for!

Political change is nebulous, of course, and never something upon which we can rely. Nevertheless, the statement and the concept behind it fit neatly in spiritual terms.

All too often people become part of Christ and then wait. They wait perhaps for guidance or instruction; sadly, too many wait to find someone else who will be their spiritual hero. Churches dwindle in number because the members wait for the preacher to get the message out to bring new people to Christ. Christians sit and feel too inadequate in skill to do the work God expects, and look to others to perform such critical tasks. This is especially true for Christians who are younger in age; many feel that they will be able to serve God only when they "grow up," and thus wait on "older Christians" to do the tasks that God has commanded. Perhaps it is high time for all of us to realize that we are the ones for whom we've been looking.