Dreamland vs Facts vs Reality
Often we live in a dream world of our own design. What seems perfect, Lovey-dovey, Peaches and Cream, Sugar and Spice. You know. Everything is just right (in the voice of Goldilocks). We discard the things that do not fit, ignore the items that may dispute our view of the world and choose to live in the Land of Oz. Another version of a dream zone.
Okay. I know I’m mixing up metaphors and stories, but go with me for a moment.
We live in the world of “what’s right for me” and “what’s in it for me” and we choose this outlook despite all the warnings that tell us the world we’ve chosen is far from perfect. There are bears in the woods and witches on the lookout for Ruby Slippers. Even Oz had a saying in the story, “Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!”
And then the Facts (the Bear family) show up and help us reframe our world by numbers, arguments, and statistics. Knowledge proved in the scientific world and accepted as the “way things are”. Perhaps the facts help us reorder the view of life according to the way things are, and not what we think they should be…
Somebody has been messing with my house,
…eating my food,
sitting at my table,
sitting in my chair,
and now taking over my bed!
I did not invite them, perhaps…
And I do not know who they are!
Goldilocks awakes from Dreamland. Facts are standing around and intruding into her private space. A new Reality. I wonder if everything turned quickly into a Nightmare. This Reality that we never saw coming. Why? Perhaps it’s simply we’ve ignored the Facts too long and Reality tramps into our space like a Monster on Steroids.
The past few days I have spent thinking through this thought.
We do not live in a perfect world, no matter what we think and even when we have our facts straight. Reality raids through our best-laid plans of mice and men.
Where did this Reality Monster come from?
Here’s a thought that should set you back for a moment:
We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are. ~unknown Click To Tweet
We always filter things from our own perspective. Our world is convoluted. Like the spaghetti freeway system, it seems we are tied in a knot of trying to figure out what’s best for me, regardless of the facts, and not seeing the Reality monster on the horizon. The choices we make lead us down a primrose path with no thought to the consequences of our choices.
How do we survive?
For the most part, the world we choose to live in is one of our own makings. We played around with our dream world, ignoring the facts as we know them to be, and the reality is almost a wasted life.
Jesus taught a parable, a story with a moral end, that may not have been based on fact. But his listeners understood the scenario and could see the wisdom of the example. Who was his audience? Publicans (tax collectors). Sinners. Pharisees. Scribes. (Luke 15:1-3) In other words, you and me. He shares several parables with his audience.
- The Lost Sheep
- The Lost Coin
- The Lost Child
Taking a count of his precious 100, the Shepherd realizes that one sheep is not among his flock. He leaves the 99 in the open country, knowing they will probably be safe and expends his energy on finding the single lost sheep.
The Woman loses one of her precious 10 silver coins and works hard seeking diligently throughout her house until she finds it.
The Father gives his younger son his portion of the estate, maybe too early in life, and the son leaves and wastes all his wealth on reckless living. Though this parable does not tell of the Father working hard to find the Lost Child, it does indicate that he was always looking over the horizon just waiting for the day the Child comes to his senses and returns home.
The Moral?
You need to read it for yourself, but the ending of all the parables dealt with a celebration… Rejoice when that which is lost has been found and restored. (Luke 15:6, 9, 22-24)
Maybe that’s what’s missing in most of our Dreamland living. We’ve awakened to Facts long known and ignored, and Reality is shaking a scary stick at us and we don’t know what to do next. If it’s a simple matter of turning back to Fact living and knowing our boundaries, then we should rejoice over a lesson learned. But if we are paying the consequences of ignoring the Facts for too long, then maybe we need a Reality check…and then celebrate when we return back to a life of living and knowing our boundaries!
How did the Shepherd lose a sheep? How did the Woman lose a coin? It may have been their fault, but the fact of the parables deal with an animal and an inanimate object. One has a mind of its own, and the other is managed by human hands.
I could go a long way in this thinking process to ask myself the question… Did I create the problem myself? Did I ignore the sheep, or train it wrong? Did I not put all my coins safely into a protected space where there would be no possibility of loss or waste?
Consider one more scripture relating to the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin… Jesus teaches in both parables (Luke 15: 7, 10) “…there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth…” Equal celebration for a sinner that repents, and an inanimate object that had no choice in its’ lost condition!
Let’s take a look at the third parable. The Father was responsible for raising his Child through a specified time period, but as we all have done when we come of age, we make our own choices that do not necessarily represent the balance of our Childhood. We are, then, our own worst enemies, or heroes. Time will tell. Other portions of scripture define this time as the last hours of life for the father. He’s approaching death, calls his sons to him, and portions out their rewards. Isaac did it with Esau and Jacob in Genesis 27, Israel (Jacob) did it with his 12 sons in Genesis 49. Each offspring received a vision of his own future, by order of birth.
In my heart, soul, mind, and spirit, I am dealing with all these parameters on a regular basis.
Nothing will have more impact on your success than your attitude. ~LeadToday Click To Tweet
Once you get back on track, you need to celebrate. Rejoice that your foundation is secure!
How do you get on track?
Jesus teaches us, once again, that there is a key to keeping ourselves in the reality of the world. Maybe you’ve never seen this, but while researching for an answer this little nugget popped on the horizon.
But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Luke 12:31 KJV)
What is the “kingdom of God?” I like how one writer describes it. “God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.” David describes it like this.
The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all. (Psalms 103:19 KJV)
If reality is God’s Kingdom, then it only makes sense that my reality needs to be aligned with God’s world. Not one of my own choosing. Not my Dreamland. His Facts. His Reality. Be like Jesus teaching his followers how to pray, “…thy will be done in earth, as in heaven…” (Matthew 6:10) and then pray the pray like Jesus did in the Garden, “…let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done…” (Luke 22:42)
Last thought… A favorite chorus I’ve sung many times taking my attention off this world and putting them were it needs to be.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace