I just finished reading a book called Love Does by Bob Goff. Its full of crazy stories of people who are doing radical things to love, help, and serve each other. It tells about dangerous adventures, grace covered failures and big dreams.
Dream Big. These two simple words that have become so cliche and way over used, brought me to tears today. I don't know when I stopped dreaming big, or when we as a society stopped dreaming big. I don't know when the everyday hustle and bustle became enough, or when a 9-5 day job became the only option. I don't know what happened to make us think that our 5 year old dreams to be the first Astronaut on Mars, the most famous dancer, or world's greatest mom were unattainable.
That is one reason that I love children so much. While playing in the sand, they build magnificent castles, even if they can only be seen in their minds. Clouds that look like blobs become dinosaurs and come alive in their worlds. Even the highest mountain can be climbed with the help of a little imagination and the encouragement of an adult.
Shea, my little brother, asks me every single time I talk to him if he can drive my car while I am gone. After I finally establish that I am only gone for 11 months, not five years, he continues with ok fine, but when I am 16 can I drive your car? I will take it to lifetime to you know..work out and shoot some hoops. And then when I am part of the Bowie Basketball team, will you come home to watch me play?
Shea has down syndrome and although its not impossible, he will likely never drive or be able to compete at the Varsity Basketball level like his 3 older brothers. Regardless of these things, I don't respond by telling him he has down syndrome and that he won't be able to drive. I tell him that yes of course, when he gets his license he can drive my car wherever he wants to go.
Children dream recklessly, fully, and wholeheartedly with no concept of limitation because they are sitting safe in their fathers laps, being encouraged in even the most outlandish ideas because why would anyone want to stunt the imaginations, dreams, or confidence of a child? Our world has gotten life down to such a formula and checklist that we have forgotten what its like to sit on our fathers lap and dream wholeheartedly, without limits. In doing so, we have forgotten how big of a dreamer our Heavenly Father is.
He created mountains so grand and beautiful that it takes our breath away. He created sunsets, painted with every color we could ever imagine. He created more stars that we can count that shine his light during the darkness of night. He created 7,500 different variations of an apple for goodness sake.
" But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 19:14
"And said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 18:3
" You're beckoning me to come and just be, a child at Your feet, seeing my need for Thee"
Holy One by Sonic Flood
I think that it breaks our Heavenly Daddy's heart that we have stopped dreaming. That we have stopped sitting at His feet with our absolutely crazy ideas, looking for Him to tell us that yes we can even though the world says we can't. As Christians, we long and desire to be more like our Savior.
Our Savior who fed 5,000 on 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. Our Savior who wept over a family's loss with them, and then raised their daughter from the grave. Our Savior who restored sight to the blind, made well the sick, and refused to bring condemnation to the adulteress woman but offered her living water instead. Our Savior who dreamed and lived big.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with a 9-5 job, to be His hands and feet in the workplace is absolutely needed. But what I am saying is that we all need to take some time to sit on our Daddy's knees, share with Him our hearts and not quench His Spirit in us from dreaming big. When we dream big, and go after things the world tells us are impossible, its then that His will is done and His name is glorified.
