Hope and Dreams

“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy” (Proverbs 13:12, NLT) [Read Proverbs 13].

A look at this verse in two more translations helps us absorb its applicable truth: “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” (KJV). “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” (The Message Bible).

Why only one verse cited in the rich store of 25 in Proverbs 13? Say that verse 13 jumped out at me. At some past time I had underlined it in my study Bible and read marginal references to it. Hope and dreams are important intrinsic qualities of a richer and more rewarding life! Let us hold on to them and seek to remove deterrents to their coming to pass. None of the heartsickness of deferred hope!

Hope is defined as a desire accompanied by expectation of fulfillment. When hope is deferred or does not come to fruition, the heart becomes “sick” or bowed down, discouraged. Unfulfilled hopes may lie at much of today’s depression. Hope is closely linked to dreams, defined as strongly desired goals or purposes. As a teacher, I put much store in assisting students to set goals and to work toward accomplishing them. Then I hoped to show that they must persist in hope that goals would be fulfilled. But I was careful to insist from point A, setting the hope or dream, to point B, fulfillment of same, the path was laced with hard work, effort and tenacity. The writer of Proverbs knew, probably from personal experience, that “hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Unless we experience some success in achieving goals, we become greatly discouraged. On the other hand, when achievement of hopes and dreams comes, “it is a tree of life” or the fulfillment of joy. To lay hold of wisdom is to lay hold of “the tree of life.” Used as a metaphor in Proverbs and in Revelation, it means laying hold of goals and hopes. The Tree of Life mentioned in Genesis was available to Adam and Eve before the fall and refers in part to their euphoric and joyous state with everything they needed provided.

American poet, Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) penned these lines on hope: “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all.”

We have only to use a good concordance to see how many reference the Bible holds to hope. We hope for eternal life; to all the living there is hope; Christ dwells in us, the hope of glory. And the verb, strong in its implication, says we should “hope in the Lord,” “hope continually” and “hope to the end.” Selah.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Sunday, July 11, 2010