The Dream Revealed

Today is a day of quiet reflection for me.  It’s a day off, but it’s also a day on.  On this day, I will honor Dr. Martin Luther King by assessing myself and my life’s work — gauging just how close I am to the Promised Land. I, like Dr. King, am a dreamer. Though I have not occupied the same stage as he did, my stage is adequate. For I prefer to orchestrate matters and conduct business from the pit rather than the stage. In the event that I am called there, I can also ascend to the appointed spot.

As I sit in my comfy spot next to the window that overlooks the path abutting my back yard, I imagine that my dreams are not so different from Dr. King’s or that of other dreamers, but I fuel my dreams with prayer.  That’s the advantage I have, and I admit that it’s a big one. As I speak to God about my dreams, they come to fruition in forms I hadn’t imagined. Sometimes, He takes my breath away; other times, He reduces me to tears. As I hammer out these words on my keyboard, he’s whispering them into my ears–knowing that my vow of obedience to do what he says will draw others to Him.

When I woke up this morning — thankful for yet another day to serve, I noticed my phone flashing on the floor.  My notifications were still on. I strained to read the small print on my phone, and grimaced at the thought of needing glasses to see anything in print these days. I squinted and focused enough to see a congratulatory message from a well-known blogger named Janice who hosts online parties to help bloggers to connect. I smiled and came back to her message an hour later, seeing that she had written a post and linked it to my winning post from the other day — You Call Me To Go Deeper.  In her post, she let her readers know that she doesn’t normally shine a light on blogs about religion, but she crowned my piece as one of two Inspire Me Monday winners.

At that moment (and I’m not kidding), I imagined giving my acceptance speech. Silly, huh? In my speech, I thanked God Almighty for always giving me the words to speak. I also thanked Him for giving me the courage it takes to be a beacon for Christ. For those who think it’s easy to let your little light shine, think again. Then came the big reveal — my dream. I disclosed my two-part dream as a simple one: Let’s all just get along. These words are borrowed from a man whose dream was televised nationwide after he was beaten. You know the story, and you know the man, Rodney King. He didn’t occupy the same stage as Dr. King either, but the world was his stage. Though this man will always be remembered for his many vices and his eventual demise, Rodney King — the lesser King some might say — posed a rhetorical question –Why can’t we all just get along? The response to this question was mixed.  Some cheered; others jeered. For the record, I cheered–knowing that God will choose the least of these to carry his message. I know that Mr. King wouldn’t ordinarily be remembered today along with Dr. King, and his weighty question wouldn’t ordinarily be juxtaposed with Dr. King’s dream of equality, but his  question echos in my mind more often than I’d care to admit. I believe that their messages are meant to share the same stage this day.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. ~Matthew 13:9 

The second part of my dream comes from a happy place–memories from a childhood where my family members stopped to hear what I learned in school, paused to listen to what this little kid had to say, and gave feedback whether I wanted it or not. They spoiled me in many ways though our means were meager. They gave me the gift of their attention, but I didn’t require it often (in my recollection); they might recall it differently. I only asked for an audience when I had big dreams to share.

Today I use this blog to realize my dream of drawing others to Christ. I’m not a pastor, nor do I bear titles.  I don’t have letters before or after my name like Dr. King that might stop anyone in his tracks to listen to what I have to say.  I don’t have a single name like Prince or Madonna that can draw thousands to listen to them on stage. What I do have, however, is priceless and sought after. It’s a divine connection to the one who birthed my dream, molded it as clay, breathed life into it each day, and set it and me on this very stage so that all who are willing to hear the word of God will hear it. You may not intend to hear it or share it, but something inherent in this message will beckon you to do so. Janice did it this morning, and for that, I am truly grateful.