What if.....

What if you woke up one day and realized that the dream that you had been dreaming was the wrong dream. What if, what you had been working toward your whole life, the dreams that had affected you decisions, the dreams that had directed your life, the dreams that had helped you choose your career, dreams that had helped choose where you lived, where you worshiped, and most every other major decision of your life was the wrong dream. What if everyone around you had the same dream and if you dared to dream another dream you might seem odd or off balance or even crazy.

I'm talking about safety, comfort and security. I've spent 35 years looking for it. It's why I chose a profession I thought would make me a good living, why I have chosen to live among people that look like me, act like me and think like me. It is why I surround myself with nice things and look for entertainment at every turn. It is why we talk of retirement accounts, and savings and weekend homes and why we are always saying wouldn't it be nice if we had...or wouldn't it be great if we could.... The sad thing is that I tell myself that I am doing these things for my family. I am protecting them. After all, they are my biggest priority and they deserve all of what life has to offer. The truth, however is that this is all an illusion. There really is no safety, security and comfort that we can achieve. No matter how much you have or where you are or who you know, it could all be gone tomorrow. The stock market could crash, your reputation tarnished, your house could burn down, your car stolen, your job gone or on your way home you could be hit by a car and it would all go away. No safety, no security, no comfort.

In reality, it is all an illusion. In reality it is coverings for our nakedness. We are back in the garden. Nothing has changed since then, just what we try to cover ourselves with.

God is waking me up from the dream. Teaching me, helping me to realize that somehow I have confused the "American Dream" for His desire for my life. He is helping me realize that there are far greater things than safety, security and comfort. He is showing me that what he wants from me is Love. Loving him and loving the people around me. Loving with reckless abandon. Loving with a giving, self sacrificing senseless kind of love. Love that expects nothing in return. Love that risks. Love that doesn't close me off from the world but opens me up. Love that takes me where there are those who have no love around them, no matter where it takes me or what it costs.

God, Help me to love with reckless abandon.