Recently I watched a movie called The Dreamseller, in which a successful businessman experiences a tragedy and upends his life, becoming an itinerant street preacher and healer. He stops selling people the dream of being rich, famous, and physically beautiful and instead encourages them to pursue happiness by practicing forgiveness, living simply, and building healthy relationships with family and friends.
Although
he is an unkempt beggar, people are drawn to him and listen to him. Why? Because
he eases their burdens. Chasing wealth, fame, and beauty is exhausting. Judging
others and holding grudges weighs us down. Being in conflict with the people in
our lives produces a constant state of anxiety. By inviting people to dream of
a different life, he sets them free to lay down society’s expectations and
focus on what is really important: walking the way of love instead of pursuing the
empty promises of consumerism, entitlement, and false appearances.
Ultimately, what this man was selling was the kingdom of God. People bought the dream he was selling because they sensed his integrity; like Jesus, he was free from the lure of possessions and had a burning desire to help others find meaning by choosing love—by dying to self-interest.
Those of us who follow Jesus also are called to sell the dream of God’s kingdom. We don’t need any marketing skills for this task—all we need to do is live the dream ourselves by loving God and loving others. As Walter Stanley Mooneyham said, “Love talked about is easily turned aside, but love demonstrated is irresistible.”
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