For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. You see, for Christians, the cross is our hope tree. Certainly I know of the misuse of crosses over the centuries by crusaders and zealots. But the human story is not one of only sweetness and light. We have learned that optimism can be naive.
Optimism is faith in people, in the human potential.
Hope, however, means that even in the darkest hour one may have faith in God and God's ultimate grace. The symbol of Christianity is an instrument of death. Albert Einstein once remarked that the greatest question facing humankind is the question as to whether the universe is ultimately friendly or hostile. For most of us, the jury is still out. Being born from above involves knowing the birth pangs of renewal.