This photo of Devonte Hart and the police officer, has gone viral: it evokes hope in us. This twelve year old, who wore a sign around his neck with "Free Hugs" printed on it, was a stark contrast to the turmoil and protest in Portland Oregon about the shooting of Mike Brown in Ferguson. Devonte, doing what he often does, as his last name infers: stood out in the crowd and when the officer saw him, and his disarming message, he asked him if he could have one of those "free hugs".

  I read about the childhood of Devonte and I'll add a part of it here --       "Devonte Hart entered the world 12 years ago with drugs pumping through his tiny newborn body.
By the time he was 4 years old he had smoked, consumed alcohol, handled guns, been shot at, and suffered severe abuse and neglect.
He knew only a handful of words, including f**k and s**t, and he struggled to identify with the names of food, body parts and every day objects.
Devonte was a violent toddler and his health was weighed down by a heavy list of disabilities.
It was a life with little hope and a future that seemed over before it began.
That is until Jen Hart and her wife Sarah entered Devonte’s life and adopted him and his two siblings seven years ago. Jen says, there was something inexplicable pulling at her heart. “I felt more connected to this fragile little boy than I had ever felt to anyone in my life.”
With their unconditional love, nurturing natures, patience and acceptance, Devonte defied all odds and has grown into a young charismatic man with a heart of gold."
This is a "moment", don't miss it. This picture of 12-year-old Devonte Hart, healthy, against all odds, facing all the bigotry our culture can bring to bear on him -- child of a drug addict, black, adopted by lesbians and thrown into a culture of violence and upheaval, and yet offering hope in the midst of it all. May I never forget to pray for him.

Jesus describes Devonte this way ---- "Blessed are the peace makers, for they will be called children of God."