JAMES KILGORE: Will any dream do?

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s delightful musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” there’s a line that suggests “Any Dream Will Do.” His musical is loosely based on the Biblical story of Joseph. He dreamed but when he shared that with his family, they became angry. This family hostility eventually led to Joseph being sold as a slave and eventually he wound up in Egypt. That began the story which eventually led to the life of Moses and the emancipation of the children of Israel to return home to their former homeland. It’s a fascinating story that begins in the Book of Genesis and ends in the Book of Joshua.

During the last couple of weeks in America, we have been reminded of another man’s dream. Dr. Martin Luther King gave his moving speech in Washington called, “I have a Dream.” His life themes were expressed in the terms of Justice, Mercy, and Peace. Some of those who profess to follow his dream have descended into injustice, destruction, and violence. Often the dreams of great leaders can be lost in the actions of those who follow.

My question is, “Will any dream do?” The melody in Webber’s musical is a catchy lyric that we can sing with gusto, but what happens when we follow just any dream in life? Let me suggest some consequences.

Several years ago a very successful businessman sat in my office and wept as he evaluated his life to that point. He said, “I put my ladder up to the side of the building and climbed it with energy and success, but when I got to the top of the ladder, I had climbed up the wrong building.” His dream got him success but at the top, his reward was a disappointment.

Far too many of us fail to determine the right priorities for living. Sometimes when we refocus, the result is a disappointment. Do you have a dream? Is the path you are following leading toward that dream? Determining your life priorities is like aiming at a target. If you aim too low, you will fail to hit the target. If you aim high, even being short of the target may accomplish a reward.

At the confrontation with his brothers in Egypt, Joseph made a startling declaration. “You meant (his being sold into slavery) this for evil, but God meant it for good.” He understood that he could not change all that happened to him, but he could believe that God would and had led him. It is a principle for all of us to consider: I can’t control everything that happens to me, but I am in charge of the way I respond to what happens to me.

One of my life mottos has been: let your reach always exceed your grasp. When you dream big in life, a rainbow of possibilities can be discovered. If you fail to dream, there will be disappointing shades of gray. Don’t settle for just “any dream.” Find God’s fulfillment in each day, and you’ll discover a satisfying dream instead of a nightmare.