The Dreamer…
Joseph was a dreamer. His brothers said… “Here comes that dreamer… let’s kill him”.
That can often be the response you get and the way you feel when you have a purpose… a dream. Everyone is out to
steal that dream from you. Others will tell you all the reasons why that is an impossible dream and why you
couldn’t possibly achieve it. Often you can even tell yourself all the reasons why your dream is an impossible
dream. Here are a few pointers that could be useful….
•Don’t give
up on your dream. Joseph didn’t start out well
with his dream. At 17 years of age he dreamed that one day his family would bow down to him. But he made the fatal
mistake of sharing that information with his brothers. They not only resented it, creating a rift in family
relationships, but for him it brought a dream-testing close encounter with death that also included
slavery and prison. But that didn’t stop Joseph. He clung on tightly to the dream he "saw". The beginning of a
dream often generates more enthusiasm than wisdom. We can say and do things that are not useful.
• Don’t give
up on your dream even though people around you
don’t support you. Joseph’s brothers said, “Let’s kill the dreamer”. It’s hard to keep your dream alive when others
are trying to kill it and ridicule you. But when you know that your dream is aligned with your purpose, you can
hold on even tighter.
• Don’t give
up on your dream even though your journey may be
full of detours – unplanned events. Your dream will invite attack from others. Events will happen along the way
that don’t appear to support you. Don’t let this discourage you. Attack is a sign of respect. It means you haven’t
been defeated. Five times you read in the story of Joseph… the Lord was with Joseph….. So hang in there.
• Don’t give
up on your dream even though it takes a lifetime
to fulfil. Twenty three years went by before Joseph’s dream was fulfilled, but in the end he ruled his family, was
reconciled with his brothers and saved the nation. You never know how long you will need to hang on to the dream
before it is fulfilled – the important thing to remember, as Winston Churchill once told a graduating class, is –
"never give up".
"Those
who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the
dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible." – T.E.
Lawrence
The Coach
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