Chasing the Dream

Do a search sometime on "pursuing your dream" and you'll find site after site offering you help, encouragement, and guidance on how to reach your dreams. It's all the rage today. You know how it goes. You have a dream; now, go out and get it. Don't let anything stand in your way. Go, man, go! These sites will help you see that you are the only thing standing in the way of your dream, that fear is the only obstacle, and that nothing is worth you giving up your dream.

Funny thing ... I don't find any articles on evaluating your dream. It appears, in today's world, that we can conclude two things about your dreams. First, whatever you dream of doing is of paramount importance. Nothing else compares to the importance of your dream. Second, whatever you dream of doing is good, apparently by virtue of you having dreamed of doing it. You want to be the world's best safe cracker? Do it and let nothing stand in your way because whatever you dream is the most important thing and because it's your dream, it's good.

I would like to think that by my simply saying it you'd see the folly of the idea. I'm concerned that a lot of Christians have bought into the world's perspective on things and won't see it. I'm concerned that some Christians would read that last paragraph and say, "Well, yeah, basically, I think that's true."

There are two things we can see about this concept as Christians. First, we are told that we are not the center of the universe. We know that self-centeredness is the primary sin, that "I will be like the Most-High" is the basic concept of sin, and that the basic tenet of Christian living is not "Love yourself", but "love others". For some reason we seem to be able to speed-read right over Paul's command in Philippians without slowing down at all when he says, "Consider others as more important than yourselves" (Phil 2:3). Really? That's completely counter to our society's viewpoint. And it's completely counter to the "pursue your dream at all costs" viewpoint. The other thing we can say without question is that human beings are sinful. As such, it is a guarantee that our dreams will include sinful dreams. We will assume goals and desires that are wrong. Pursuing the dream without first evaluating the dream is a foolish thing to do.

There are, in fact, very few dreams worth pursuing at all costs. I can think of a precious few. I can see that the dream to "gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith -- that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death" would be a goal worthy of pursuing at all costs. I would think it obvious that the dream of becoming a doer of the Word and not a hearer only would be a laudable aim. I would agree that shooting for godliness and holiness would be a worthy goal. Much beyond that, though, and you're treading on dangerous ground that could very easily cost you and those around you far more than God would intend. Consider, then, your dreams. "For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?" (Luke 14:28). Count the cost. Consider the prize. We have far more dreams that are not in line with God's desires than dreams that are.