Fifty-seven, almost fifty-eight years after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. his influence is still felt dramatically in our world.  While his dream has not become a reality, it is still a collective dream for many people, to have a world where all people have equal opportunities to thrive.  There has been pushback on equality and equity from this political administration, but equality is still one of our SPICES, and we as Quakers uphold that all people are created equal and should be treated that way and given equal opportunity to allow their dreams to come true.  Next week we might not have a true national holiday for everyone to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, but we will personally not forget his dream.  We will not underestimate the power of the dreams that we all have, and all could share with each other for a better world.

Martin Luther King Jr’s dream was of all children of all races having equal opportunities to access a world that was a good place to raise children and a good place to educate all people and a good place to work and live — he envisioned a good place for everyone of good character.  Jesus had a similar vision.  He spoke of a little child leading them, used humbled people to represent what God needs of us, and showed a great respect for those who others may have ignored, women, children and the sick.  But we know his dream more from the Lord’s prayer. In it he said, “On earth as it is in heaven.”  That was his dream, to make this earth like the idea of heaven, where there is no disease, no sickness, no impediment to abundance, no emotional manipulation, no hierarchies – just on earth as it is in heaven.

I am sure you have an idea of what a heaven would look like to you.  You may even have a dream of a kinder, more inclusive world.  In adolescence we dream big of hot cars, a life of luxury, and worlds where if we do wrong, it has no consequence.  As children we think of adulthood as being the place where all our childish dreams can come true.  But 1 Corinthians 13 (the chapter on Love being kind, patient, gentle, humble, and not self-centered or arrogant, focusing on others’ well-being rather than personal glory) says that this love we are to show the world and each other, and ourselves, is a mature love that supports a different way of dreaming.  1 Corinthians 13:11 tells us that when we become adults we are to put away childish ways, including childish dreaming and childish thinking, and we are to focus on a world where love is the ultimate, yet the first response to everything.  When I was a child, I acted like a child, I spoke like a child, I reasoned like a child, but when I became an adult, I put away childish things.  We are expected to dream, but to dream maturely like Jesus did, of an ethical and moral world that is like Heaven; without classes, without prejudices, without obstructive obstacles being placed unfairly in the way of anyone’s success, anyone’s life, anyone’s hopes or dreams.

There is a contemporary Christmas song. I know you have sung it here.  Kathleen led it: My Grown Up Christmas List.  In the song Kelley Clarkson sings about growing up and having a more mature perspective in her dreams.  She wrote it as if she was talking to Santa.

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I’m all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I’m not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here’s my lifelong wish
My grown-up Christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end
This is my grown-up Christmas list

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree

But heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul

This song talks about the change in perspective that maturity had on Kelley Clarkson’s dreams for Christmas and the world.  Do you maybe need to get in touch with a more mature way of dreaming for you, for the world, for the future, for your children and your grandchildren?  What kind of dreams are we dreaming? What does “Heaven” look like to you if you were to pray that it becomes in this realm of reality like it is in that one spiritually? What is your grown-up dream of this world?  What dreams do you have that might need to be revamped to include the SPICES?

Dream with me for a minute.  Dream of an adult version of what “On earth as it is in heaven” means to you.  How does this fit with your own personal dream?  How does this dream reflect your adherence to the tenants of Quakerism?

For instance, how simple is your dream?  How simple are your wants for the world? For yourself?  For your family? What impact could this dream have on the world if it came true?  Would this impact be for long term change?

We can go one by one through the spices and test our dreams.  What kind of peace does your dream promote? Who has power in your dream?  What do they do with it? Does your dream get to a point in society that it helps bring peace to people’s souls?

How much does your dream show integrity? Does it rely on integrity to make it come true?  Does it support truth and agency for all people equally?  Is it honest?  Are you being honest with yourself?

Does it avoid dividing people, and does it respect relationships and help to build community?  Does it impact your friendships and other relationships positively?  Are people’s lives better because you dreamed your dream?

Does it treat everyone the same way?  Does it lead to more equity in the world?

Does it help to protect the environment?  Is it ecologically sound?  Does it help us be more sustainable?  How big of a carbon footprint would your dream leave?

These are questions that we as dreaming Quakers need to ask ourselves.  Let us share our dreams with each other as led.

Queries:

• What does “Heaven” look like to you?
• What is your grown-up dream of this world? 
• What dreams do you have that might need to be revamped to include the SPICES?
• How does “On earth as it is in Heaven” fit with your own personal dream? 
• How does this dream reflect your adherence to the beliefs of Quakerism?

What do the quotes from MLK mean to you and your life?