Leaders who are Dreamers, Risk-takers and Mystics

Leaders who are Dreamers, Risk-takers and Mystics

Dreamers, risk-takers and mystics, not typically the kind of people you would hold in high regard as your leader. However, the biblical story, if taken seriously, does indeed teach us over and over again that it is the dreamers, risk-takers and mystics who will be our spiritual guides, not the strategic planner, decisive decision maker, nor the organizer. Leadership, according to the Bible, is messy, unclear, and just plain a little freaky.

In today’s Lectionary readings we have three examples of leaders, Joseph the dreamer, Peter the risk-taker and Jesus the mystic.

Joseph, the dreamer, is the youngest son of Jacob. Remember Jacob, his name was changed to Israel, meaning, “One who has wrestled with God and survived”. Joseph will come to be known as one of the greatest interpreters of dreams and he will be the protector of the future heirs of the people of Israel. Without Joseph’s gift of dreams of power in leadership, the story of the people of Israel would be much different.

In today’s story Joseph has two dreams, the dream of the sheaves of wheat and the dream of the sun, moon and eleven stars. In the first dream, Joseph’s eleven brothers bow down to him and in the second, not only do his brothers bow down, but also his father and mother. Joseph shares his dreams with his family. Of course, his brothers are infuriated. And because he is the favored son, the baby of the family, his brothers conspire against him, eventually selling Joseph to traders, who in turn, sell him into Egyptian slavery. Joseph, the dreamer, finds himself the distain of brothers, nearly killed, sold into slavery, and taken hundreds miles away from his home. Yet, in a few years, because of his ability to interpret dreams, Joseph will rise to power in Egypt and actually provide salvation for his family.

Dreams are the place of visions and new possibilities.

Next, we hear the story of Peter, the risk-taker. Jesus has fed the 5,000. Night has fallen and Jesus needs time alone to pray. So, he puts the disciples in a boat and tells them to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee and tells them he will meet them later.

Now we find the disciples in the middle of the lake. They have been there all night, battling a storm, trying to row themselves from one side of the eight-mile wide lake to the other. It’s early in the morning. The wind is pounding them, and shockingly, they see Jesus walking on the water towards them. It frightened them – no kidding (the Bible can be little understated at times).

Jesus reassures them with gentle words, “Don’t be afraid”. And then Peter, says, “Lord, if it you, command me to come to you on the water.” So, Jesus says, come on out here. At this point, Peter is taking a tremendous risk, for he is willing to risk his safety and his life to walk into the fetching of Jesus. Peter, the one Jesus calls the rock upon whom the first church will be founded is the great risk-taker.

The risk lies in the treachery of the water. For water is the symbol of the destructive power of nature over life. Water is the symbol of the dark forces of life and it is the symbol of all that we fear. By Jesus walking on the water, we are reassured of Jesus’ power over water and its destructive force. And now, Jesus is inviting Peter to participate in his divine power.

Like any of us who have been challenged to participate in the divine battle with the destructive forces of the dark world, we can become frightened and lose our courage – we take our eyes off God, and we begin to sink. This story is told to provide us comfort and reassurance that in our risk and in our failures, Jesus, the mystic, is there to save us.

Jesus, the mystic – Jesus the mystic who feeds thousands of people with a few loaves and fish – Jesus, the mystic who walks on water – Jesus, the mystic who rescues the drowning Peter – and how does Jesus do all these mystical things? What I read in this story is that between the feeding of the 5,000 and his walking of water – Jesus goes off alone to pray.

How is Jesus in mystical union with God? He prays. How does Jesus enact the power of God to miraculously feed a multitude? He prays. How does Jesus overcome the destructive forces of nature? He prays. The consistent spiritual practice of Jesus’ life is prayer. From his prayer comes his mystical life.

What can we learn from these three men, these leaders, the dreamer, the risk-taker and the mystic? What does dreamers sold into slavery, drowning risk-takers and mystical water walkers have to do with us?

Being Christians does not eliminate the perils of life. There are times it will seem that we are failing. We may wake up one morning feeling like we are at the bottom of dry well. Or we may feel one day that we are in boat that is about to swamped by a ravishing storm. And there may be days that we feel like we are drowning. But we are assured that when the storms come, and the waves crash over us, and we know we are sinking – our prayers, our life with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, will sustain us, indeed, it will save us.

Being in a Christian community we know that there are dreamers, risk-takers and mystics among us. And at times, we will be asked to follow them into risky waters.

We also know that but praying, we as a community will be one with God. This is our assurance in the face of peril.

Let us be a community of dreamers, risk takers and mystics. Dream your dreams, risk getting out of the boat of security, walk on water, be a mystic – pray deeply - but, do not be afraid, for God is with us.