Guard Your Dreams

In this week's Torah portion, Vayeshev וַיֵּשֶׁב (And He Dwelled), we learn an important lesson about dreams, pride, and who we should share our dreams with. It is a well-known story about Joseph, his dream, and how his premature celebration and oversharing landed him inside a pit. Even so, these events were the catalyst for making the dream become a reality, therefore we are left with a plethora of questions and uncertainties. I spent a lot of time pondering about this paradox. I'd ask questions such as: "Did Joseph err in boasting about his dream?", "If he had not done this, would his dream still come true?", "Did the brothers, through their wrongful actions, unknowingly help fulfill his dream?" So many questions that would be left unanswered, but ultimately don't matter. Joseph himself later recognizes the overarching theme, by stating this to his perpetrators (brothers):

"But Joseph said to them, 'Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.' And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." Genesis 50:19-21

So, instead of focusing on what happened in his narrative, I decided to take note of some practical lessons we can apply in our lives today. If God has placed a vision or given you a dream to enhance your life and those around you, be careful who you share it with. Over the years I have found that not everyone has your best interest in mind, and even inside the body of Christ, there may be "brethren" who may not desire you to succeed. I'm not saying this to make you suspicious of everyone, but just as a word of caution. Joseph's mistake was not believing or trusting Adonai's vision, but proclaiming it out loud to everyone around him. Be selective with whom you share your dreams and vision because not everyone will receive it as you hope they will. The second thing I noted in this passage that I can glean a lesson for me today is Joseph's tone. He didn't just share his dream, but he boasted about it to his family:

"He said to them, 'Listen to this dream I had: We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.'" Genesis 37:6-7

The scriptures do not reveal if Joseph did this with malice intent, but it does reveal how it was received by the brothers:

"His brothers said to him, 'Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?' And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said." Genesis 37:8

Note: If you find yourself in a pit, remember to look up, He is there to lift you up.

So, guard your dreams, but even more so guard your heart. Do not allow Adonai's purpose in your life to fill you with pride and puff you up to the point you go around boasting about what may or may not be a dream He has given you. Scriptures often warn us about our deceitful hearts:

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

A verse that comes to life when we look at the Hebrew word for heart: לֵב Lev. It consists of two Hebrew letters, the Lammed ל and the Bait ב. The Lammed's symbol is a shepherd's staff and stands for authority (the staff gives the shepherd the position of authority over the flock and is the instrument he uses to guide and correct the sheep), and the Bait's symbol is a tent, tabernacle, or house (if also often represents our body because the body is our temporary dwelling place on earth. It is where our soul and spirit resides while we live). This means that whatever is in our hearts has authority over our bodies. That is incredibly deep. If we allow YHVH's word and Spirit to be the authority in our hearts, then our bodies will do good deeds and produce good fruit. If we allow human wisdom and understanding or sin to rule our hearts, then our bodies will produce evil or bad fruit. Pride is not a fruit of the Spirit and its consequences lead to death and destruction. Note this passage in Ezekiel that describes Satan before and after the fall:

"You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings." Ezekiel 28:14-17

Satan's original sin was pride in his heart. The sin that drove him to rebel against Adonai and fall from grace. The lessons I chose to apply to my own life today are the same lessons I encourage you to follow: Choose a few trusted people in your life to share your dreams, goals, and aspirations with. We all know who we can and cannot fully trust. The people who are there for you and will lift you up in prayer and give you words of encouragement when dark times come. People who will hold you accountable and help you get back on the path when you stray. Do not go around broadcasting your dreams because you never know who is listening and how they may secretly attempt to sabotage your life. Above all, guard your heart and stay humble remembering that is it He who will do all things so that you may find success. He is the one who ensures all things come to pass so the vision or dream will become a reality. So keep on dreaming and pursuing those dreams while remembering this:

"For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." Romans 11:36

Shavuah Tov Ve'Shalom!