Some of the most popular words in our history, come from one of the most quoted speeches, it begins "I have a dream..." Though not specifically the beginning of the speech it is the most often used passage from the history making, life changing speech. And much like this speech in our lives many of us will come to a point that we use the words, I have a dream.
My dream? To bring hope out of people, to influence them in a way that they can go out and influence others, to being love forefront, to share grace and mercy and promote healthy relationships. Why? Because I believe that everyone was went to live in such a way that they will achieve great things, and too often we lose sight of the great things we can accomplish or in the very least participate in because of either the choices we have made or the consequence of others choices. I absolutely hate reading status updates and tweets about how some ones life is worthless. They have lost hope, and I desire to be a beacon of hope for them, shinning through their dark night helping to show the way to what might be if they can grasp the opportunity and make the first step towards hope.
I have other dreams as well, some involve buildings, some involve specific people, others revolve around my gifts and passions. But the one thing they all have in common is that I cannot possibly achieve the full effect of the dream on my own. I need others to come along side me, I need divine intervention and appointment, I need favor and blessing. My dreams, those which I believe are the best way to dream, are not all about me. Some do not even involve me in the slightest way, they are all much bigger then me, and they promote others, putting them first, placing them as the benefactor and making sure that in some way, the dream will live on in them as well.
My definition of a proper dream: one that is not selfish, is bigger then who you are or can be, can be passed on to others. When Martin Luther King Jr. spoke those now infamous words, he knew that he was not capable of seeing this dream come to pass on his own accord, he understood that others had to walk along side him and even in front of him, and that the dream would outlive the person. It's not that he dreamed so big that it was impossible to achieve, he knew what it meant to dream, and that the start of seeing that dream become reality was to share it with the world, or maybe in our case anyone who will listen and carry the burden with you.
Dreams that have meaning and momentum, the ones that matter to the world, they are bigger then the dreamer, they require a lot of passion and energy, the dream may even cost you your pride, show who you are in the shadows and it could take a tole on your life. BUT the outcome, when the dream is proper, is always so much greater then the cost. And often it develops in you a greater sense of character, your integrity level will rise, and your legacy will be one of greatness in a specific manner.
I would love my legacy to be the following. He was a man of great integrity and character, pressing hope into a world that built barriers and strongholds of desperation and depression. He brought love to the corners of the world, and grace and mercy to those others had passed by.
Are you a dreamer? How big is your dream, does it require others be involved in order for it to succeed or even begin? If not challenge yourself to dream bigger, much much bigger. So big in fact that your dream may take generations to come to a full realization, that others will need to take ownership of it, that you will be remembered as one of great dreams.
2 comments:
Thanks for making me think.
This was beautiful - inspiring and well said!
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