Matt Mings on “We are such stuff / As dreams are made on”
That quote is from Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest.” Shakespeare is my favorite playwright. In my former vocation I was thrilled each time I was able to perform in or direct a Shakespeare play. Now I’m finding his writing rich with theological consideration (some of it is bad theology, but there is much that stimulates the wonder of the things of God). Prospero is the character that says, “We are such stuff / As dreams are made on” at the climax of the play. It is a play rich with the ideas of reconciliation, forgiveness, and faith in the future. Sounds like key interests to Christians, does it not?
This line has been swimming around in my head as of late and now I guess I’m ready to venture a few quick thoughts on it. I believe God dreams great things: for the world, for countries, for tribes, for neighborhoods, for geographical communities, for families, and for individuals. All of God’s Story is one giant unravelling (and still continuing) narrative of how God’s dreams are conceived, thwarted, received, rejected, amended, changed, and so on.
I believe God is dreaming some amazing things for the people I see everyday. To quote the theologically astute song, “Oh who are the people in your neighborhood? …. They’re the people that you meet when you’re walkin’ down the street; they’re the people that you meet each day!” To give it a Jesus-like paraphrase: “Who is my neighbor? Everyone I come in contact with everyday.” What if I (and believers in my community) began to look at our neighbor not as some not-yet believer who needs the answer that we have; but rather a unique and wonderful person (family, community, neighborhood, city, county, etc.) whom God was dreaming something quite wonderful for? Then what if we went so far as to live life with them as if God’s Spirit was working in their lives before we even met them?
If God has truly created every person who has ever walked on this planet to be in relationship with the One who is the source of life, then it seems plausible that the Holy Spirit has already been wooing not-yet beleivers (and believers!) since childhood. There is a need to connect with the transcendent one called Jesus Christ in everyone. It’s not my job to figure out their problems or give them a 3-step process to handle all of life’s stresses and trouble. Rather, it is my calling (and the calling of the ones called Christian) to come along side not-yet believers, and join God, in discovering God’s redemptive purpose for them, nurturing the Story within and around them, and supporting and connecting with them in the world of God’s dreams.
I have heard it alot from well-meaning Christian leaders: “Christ’s purpose for the believer and believing community is the Great Commission; go make disciples.” A canonical, holistic reading of scripture and understading of God’s Story recognizes that God’s Holy Spirit is the one who makes disciples. We can’t even begin to co-create wonder in the world with God (read: “make disciples”) unless we are living out the Great Commandments: Love God and love your neighbor.
This means that we must recognize that all of us (believers and not-yet believers) are such stuff as dreams are made on: God’s dreams! This understanding helps me to love everyone; for I am convinced that God is dreaming something wonderful for them, far beyond what they could ask or imagine. I simply want to come alongside and help their dreams and God’s dreams connect. Isn’t this a mysterious, awesome, and simple calling?
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