The writer of the letter to the Hebrews, whom scholars believe is not Paul, is a theologian and a storyteller. The eleventh chapter begins by setting out the direction and the definition of faith. Faith is an orientation to the future. For the writer, faith is not a set of beliefs, though we often use faith as a noun when we refer to “the Jewish faith or the Christian faith.” But faith is better understood as a verb, a foundational base of trust in God as we move into an unknown future. Faith is stepping out, leaning forward, and trusting that God goes before us.

Faith does not depend on proof or visible results. Faith draws our heart toward a new relationship, hopes for a bright future, and invites us to sail toward a new horizon or march to a new country. For the author, even creation, which God called into being and which can be seen, testifies to the unseen hand of God.

We walk by faith and hope, believing the work we do, the kindness we share, and the care we offer make a difference.

I recently visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. The statue by sculptor Lei Yixin renders Dr. King’s bust protruding from a large granite rock as if he were carved out of a large mountain. Many see and have claimed the monument as a stone of hope hued out of a mountain of despair. As a person of faith, Dr. King walked toward an uncertain future, let go of the status quo, and marched forward as a “drum major” for justice.