Wednesday, November 19, 2008

What's in a Dream?

As I was thinking about dream hunting today, I realized I might be looking in the wrong places.

I was reminded (how? I don't know...it 'just' popped into my head) of a story I heard several years ago. I don't remember where I heard it or I'd credit the source, but it goes like this:

A gent was walking in a large city when he happened to come upon a construction site. He looked about but could find no indication of what was being built, so he decided to ask one of the workers. He saw a chap carrying bricks and approached him.

"Excuse me just a moment," he asked. "Would you mind explaining what you're doing here?" he queried as he waved his hand about the site.

But the guy carrying the bricks was in no mood for conversation. "Can't you see that I'm carrying bricks?" he shot back. "And I get paid by the load, so I can't talk!"

And off he went.

So the curious gentleman looked around and saw another fellow carrying bricks, so he thought he'd try again.

"Excuse me, please!" he said. "Would you be so kind as to tell me what you're doing here?"

This fellow was very willing to talk, "Of course! I am building that wall right there! I am the best wall-builder in the city, and I am building that wall to last! Yessir, years and years from now, people will see my wall and know what a master craftsman I am...you see how perfectly the bricks are aligned..."

Our friend edged away ever so slightly and left the wall-builder rhapsodizing over his wall, still unenlightened as to the purpose of the construction.

Finally, he spotted a third guy carrying bricks. This fellow was whistling and moving with a jaunty step, so he thought perhaps he'd give him an answer.

"Excuse me just a moment, if you don't mind" he said to the whistling brick toter, "But could you tell me what you're doing here?"

The guy stopped whistling,set down the bricks and grinned from ear to ear as he waved his arm wide. "Oh, I'm building a cathedral! A place for people to come and worship God for years and years! It's going to be marvelous!"

The gentleman was amazed at the fellow's enthusiasm for his project. "How long will it be before it is finished?" he inquired.

The guy winked at him as he picked his load back up. "Oh, it won't be finished in my lifetime," he said, "But I get to be a part of it, and it couldn't be finished if I didn't do my bit!" He nodded at the gentleman and moved off.

The gentleman looked about him. Yes, he could see how the construction at that point could eventually be a great cathedral. As he headed back to the road, he was sad that he wouldn't see it finished, but knew he would tell his grandchildren about seeing it in its early stages.


Three guys, all doing the same thing. But one of them saw it as a dream.

Maybe I need to see what dreams I really am living....

1 comment:

  1. I will share a little secret with you; I have trouble dreaming. Not literal, nighttime dreaming, but dreaming big in life, trusting God for big things, and sometimes small things. I do not know why I'm wired this way, and it is a constant source of frustration, since I work on a church staff. But I take to heart things like this that I see, hear or read hoping that somehow it will change me a little bit. Thanks for sharing.

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