My family and I saw Jason Castro perform the other night. We’re not huge fans, but he was appearing just three miles from our house, and we liked him well enough on American Idol (Season 7, fourth place), and the tickets were inexpensive, so we went.
I liked him, more than I thought I would. He’s laid back, a little shy, a little goofy, and approachable. He waited around after the concert and spent a few moments with anyone who wanted to see him.
Jason was appearing at Bethany Bible Church. The crowd was respectable, but not huge – maybe 400 to 500 people. He’s writing and singing a lot of Christian music these days, but he mixes in a lot of secular material as well.
One thing he said really struck me, and I think I can quote it verbatim: “Everything’s going to be OK in the end, and if everything’s not OK, then it’s not the end.” That’s a very simple statement of belief, and yet very profound. Above all, it’s the optimistic view that good will win out. The same optimistic tone was found in Martin Luther King’s statement that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
When I think this week about what I’m thankful for, I’ll put seeing Jason Castro on the list. His appearance wasn’t a major event for me, but it was a nice ray of sunshine at the start of the winter season.
Which quotes give you a sense of hope? Let me know.