In the movie tooth fairy, there was one statement by the character of the "Rock" that was harsh but when you think about it, could save a person from a lot of suffering. A child approached the character, asked for an autograph and told him that he wanted to be like the "Rock" character when he grows up. The character then responded "lower your expectations."

     I have heard adults say to kids "You can be what you set your mind to be". Although this statement seems encouraging, this sets up a person for a lot of disappointment. It is just not true that a person can be whatever he wants to be or accomplish what he sets his sights on. Jim Kelly (quarterback for the Buffalo Bills team that went to the Super Bowl four times but never won) probably thought he would have a super bowl ring, and his expectations would have been valid. However, he did not win it. Imagine if his life was wrapped around winning the Super bowl someday, he could have fallen into depression. Other people may be dreaming the same things a child is dreaming and why should your child be the one whose dream is fulfilled? What if circumstances prevent that dream from being fulfilled (accident, disabilities, etc.)? That statement just does not add up and it just sets up a person for disappointment. The truth is you just may not get to where you set your mind to be.

     A closely related statement also produces disappointment- "I deserve..." This statement alientates people from each other. A husband of a sick woman may say "I deserve the pursuit of my dreams" but the reality of his circumstances may call for him to give up his dreams so he can focus on the other. Because the husband is trained to think about what he deserves, the circumstances will force him into a dilemma that would not have been there if he would have lived his life humbly, being grateful for what he has and focusing on the needs of others. The truth is a sense of entitlement is devastating for relationships and for society as a whole, creating chaos instead of peace.

     One wise saying from the bible that I think we need to think about when we think of the future is "Man sets a course in his heart, but the Lord directs his steps." This phrase tells us that our dreams are ultimately in the Lord's hands. We can be what we want to be only if God, the supreme power behind creation, wills it so. We have opportunities in life because God, the one in whose image we are created, willed it so. There is nothing inside creation that says we deserve life, peace, or a sense of honor. In fact, the natural course of life is harsh- wild animals kill to survive and the parts of nature wreak havoc on the whole. Chaos threaten creation every moment but there is a power that brings order out of chaos. The same one who brings order out of chaos is the one who leads our steps and brings true order to our lives. May we give our dreams to him instead of trying to order life around our dreams.