Stars That Can't See Themselves

Until a couple of years ago, I had a political ambition to become the President of my country. As far as I’m concerned, there is nothing wrong with dreaming big dreams. Timid people never dream big; timid people shiver when tough-minded people dream. One of my friends and a former postgraduate classmate was intimidated by my dream to the extent that he shared it with his mum. When he told me that he had a discussion with his mum about my dreams and ambitions, I was shocked. He believed in my dream but never believed in himself. No wonder he evaporated when I went into active writing; he couldn’t stand it, so, on his own volition, he disconnected from me. It may be strange to realise that some people fear other people’s dreams in spite of the fact that they too can dream. Some people are frustrated by other people’s futures in spite of the fact that they too have futures. People who are habitual onlookers may one day synthesise murderous ambitions. Someone there may say I sound very harsh, but the truth sometimes comes in very harsh structures. Many a time, one has wondered why a mere dream can scare people. Many a time, one has been perplexed that mere sharing of dreams get some people irritated. Why should a man get disturbed because someone has a dream? My reaction when someone shares a big dream with me is, dream my own dream so that me too can have something to look up to.

Genesis 37:5-7

Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: there we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Dreams can make people hate you; dreams can make people distaste you. Despite the hatred, never be afraid to share your dreams. Joseph knew he was hated by his brothers; that didn’t stop him from seeing and saying where he was going. Some people see their destinations, but can’t say their destinations; you need to see and say your destination for it to come to materialisation. With the heart, man believes in righteousness but it is with the mouth that confession is made unto salvation. The righteousness in the heart can only become salvation if it is verbally declared.

The brothers of Joseph could not see their sheaves; his brothers could not understand that they too had sheaves like Joseph. How can a man who has a sheaf get angry that another person has a sheaf? When a person’s attention is focused on another person’s dream, he can’t see who he is, and what he has. If I have a sheaf, it doesn’t matter what another man is seeing in his dreams; my attention must be on my sheaf. If a man tells me, ‘your sheaf stood up and bowed to mine’, it doesn’t matter to me because that is his dream not mine. Anyone has a right to see what he wants to see in his dreams; I also have a right to see what I want to see in my dreams. If you see my sheaf bow to yours, I will dream again and see your whole family and nation bow to me; and I will share it with you. What you dream doesn’t matter to me if I can also dream. What you dream doesn’t bother me if I can also dream. Your dream will not give me sleepless night; and mine shouldn’t do the same to you.

Genesis 37:9

Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

How can you be a star and still get angry that you bowed before a person in his dream? A star should concentrate on his shining rather than focusing on another person’s dream. A star should concentrate on how to produce light in darkness rather than being distracted by another person’s creative imagination. It is stars that can’t see themselves that get angry at other people’s dreams. It is stars that don’t know what they’re made of that get enunciated by other people’s visions. It is stars that can’t see themselves that get infuriated by other people’s divine purposes. If you look inward, you will see the star in you. When you see the star in you, you will concentrate on you; concentration helps bring out what is within you. If you keep pondering on another man’s dream, you’re bound to become jealous; jealousy if not quickly dealt with, grows into murderous intentions. The brothers of Joseph were stars with sheaves, but they couldn’t see who they were because their focuses were on bowing to their younger brother; as a result, they sold him into slavery. Focusing on your star increases the intensity of the light you emit. Focusing on your star increases the amount of energy you produce. Focusing on your star increases your dimension and level of achievement. You can’t look outside and expect to build inside. See your star; be the star you’re created to be.