Dream Small
A few months ago, a dear friend gifted me a book called “Dream Small.” Is “gifted” really a word, btw? I know it’s the rage and all … but when did we start using this as a verb???
I digress. Now where was I?
Ah yes, “Dream Small.” An intriguing title, to be sure.
Kind of unorthodox, too. I mean, haven’t we all been taught that “if your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough.” Or am I the only one reading Mark Batterson books? Aren’t we, after all, supposed to be setting BIG hairy audacious God-sized goals? Exceedingly, abundantly, far above all we can ask or think type stuff … Immeasurably More, I believe is what they call it.
So, in light of all that, a title like “Dream Small” does seem a bit provocative.
And yet … instinctively I knew right away that something in that title struck a nerve, but in a good way. And as I read the book, something was resonating. And surprisingly, what resonated was not at odds with the biblical concept of God-sized dreams. Not at all. Because the truth is, we can’t out dream the Creator of the Universe. Our thoughts are not His thoughts. Our ways are not His ways. He Himself IS exceedingly, abundantly far above all we could ask or think.
“For in Him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth … He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17
All that sounds pretty big! So why, then, did this book resonate?
Maybe part of the reason was because of my own little journey. Over the last several years, Jesus has been showing me the “small” life. But don’t confuse small for insignificant. Maybe a better word is “focused.” Better yet, “invested.” He’s been teaching me to focus, not so much on having the big influential ministry I once thought I wanted, but to focus on the people He’s put around me. And focusing requires opening my eyes and taking notice. And noticing requires slowing down long enough to pay attention. And then invest, invest, invest. All that takes time. All that takes focus. All of that seems pretty “small”, but it is the stuff the Kingdom of God is built on. If you don’t believe me, take another look at the Gospels. Who did Jesus invest most of his time with: the multitudes or a little band of brothers and sisters?
Honestly, what BIGGER dream could any of us have, then or now, than simply MORE of Jesus? More of His presence. More of His joy. More of His freedom. Exceedingly. Abundantly. More Jesus.
And the truly amazing thing is, that IS HIS DREAM FOR US: Christ in us, the hope of glory. One relationship at a time. One “small” investment at a time.
So thank you, dear friend, for gifting me that book (there I go with the weird verbiage again). I want to dream small, and let God dream His BIG dreams through me!