Today’s author is Prince of Peace member, Scott Tunseth.
This week in the Narrative Lectionary we have been re-introduced to Joseph the dreamer. You know, the second youngest brother of twelve, who has two dreams that don’t set well with the family. When I read this story in Genesis 37, I always wonder why Joseph tells his dreams out loud. Didn’t he realize how his brothers and his parents might react, especially after his father had just gifted him with an “ornamented robe.” His father might just as well have written “My Favorite” on Joseph’s back in large letters.
But Joseph is excited to tell the family his dreams. I chalk this up to his youth; he’s not fully aware of how his words might be taken, especially by his ten older brothers. In one dream his sheaf of grain stands tall in the field while the sheaves of his brothers bow down to his sheaf. In the other dream, the sun (his father), the moon (his mother) and eleven stars (his brothers) bow down to him. The brothers are jealous, and his father is not pleased, but “his father kept the matter in mind” (37:11), a bit of foreshadowing of things to come in the larger Joseph stories.
Two Sundays ago, we had a guest presenter talk to us about Dr. Murray Bowen’s Family Systems Theory. One of the eight aspects of the theory focuses on triangles, which occur when tension arises between two individuals and a third person is drawn in to alleviate the conflict. Triangulation can complicate relationships and perpetuate unhealthy dynamics. Understanding how triangles manifest and learning to navigate them with emotional intelligence can lead to more balanced and harmonious connections.
Well, here in the story of Joseph, we have a big triangle and plenty of tension. And that tension leads to violence. Some of Joseph’s brothers want to kill him, but cooler heads prevail, and Joseph is sold to passing Midianite traders, who eventually sell Joseph to Potiphar, The Egyptian Pharaoh’s captain of the guard. And then the brothers lie to their father, making it look like Joseph was killed by a wild animal.
In this past Sunday’s adult forum, we talked about dreams and their connection to our stories and even how dreams can be connected to spirituality and faith. It’s clear that in the Bible, God communicates through dreams. Kelly Bulkely, a dream researcher and theologian who explores the link between dreams and faith in an article says: “Science may not be able to prove the existence of God or the gods. But it can prove that, for many people, dreams offer a way to expand their sense of reality and attain a higher level of being–not unlike religion.”
I know that I have had a few what psychologist C.G. Jung calls “big dreams,” ones that seem connected to higher consciousness. Some seem to be God-inspired, and some push me into spiritual, even mystical territory. I can’t always explain what these dreams mean, and I don’t always tell them out loud like Joseph. But I know they are meaningful, and sometimes they make me ponder more deeply who I am in the presence of God.
We are complex beings, made in the image of God (Gen 1:27). Dreams are part of that complex design, drawing the conscious and unconscious worlds together. And may, just maybe, be a bridge connecting the human and divine.
Creative God, may we be open to your word, even in our dreams. Bless our restless minds and spirits with deep sleep and meaningful dreams. Amen.