The Bird in the Box

I have the privilege of hanging with twenty weird guys at least once per month in the media room of a local church.  A few justifiably hem and haw about their 45 minute drive, but none complain that we should meet at a more civilized time than 6:00 – 8:00 am.   We call ourselves Dream Builders and we are weird in the way we think and act.   Here are a few common characteristics of our Dream Builders:

• Accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior
• Continually seeks a more intimate relationship with God
• Desires to see God do what He loves to do – The Impossible!
• Committed to helping other Dream Builders achieve their dreams

At times I think we’re so counter-culture-counter-intuitive we should probably use this image as our logo:

We keep our radar high for an unusual, but amazing phenomenon.  I call it – and a weird term if there ever was one – The Bird in the Box.  It’s how DBers listen and respond to the music – HIS music.

Take a gander at the Dream Builder’s decision equation:

So let’s start with the Box.   As you can see the box is unopened, and there’s a reason.  The Box holds a serum better than 100cc of adrenalin – it’s a Dream Builder’s secret sauce.  Take a look at this short clip of clip of JJ Abrams, my favorite movie director and creator of TV shows like Alias and Lost, and movies like MI 3, Cloverfield  and the Star Trek movie last summer.  This man is a Mystery  ninja –  as you’ll see.

Dream Builders love the Mystery Box because it represents Unlimited Possibilities.  The contents of this box are more valuable to a Dream Builder than probably 90% of people.  When the time comes, the perfect time, the box opens and two questions are answered:

• WHO does He want me to help?
• HOW does He want me to help them?

So that’s the Box.  Careful now; something else is hiding in the box.  It’s the Bird:

Black Swans also share a few traits:

1. Unexpected event – never happened before
2. Simple in its definition – extreme in its impact
3. We have trouble interpreting how it happened, or how to prevent it/make it happen in the future
4. Could be a “Good Bird” or a “Bad Bird”

When a Black Swan emerges from The Mystery Box, God’s Odds are in play:

God doesn’t play by our odds or rules.  When it comes to Dream Building, He rarely operates in the realm of what we call “Business as Usual”.   When God releases a Black Swan like feeding 5000 families with a few fish, inserting a 9 foot tall (odds of a man that tall: 100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1) villain like Goliath into a battle, or generating $100 milllion from a small-budget overtly Christian movie (like my friend David Nixon did with his movie Fireproof)  – we have no choice but attribute the outcome to our Creative Creator and enjoy His music.

C.S. Lewis alluded to God’s Swans revealing God’s Odds in his Chronicles of Narnia:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Lucy:

“Will we ever get back into the Wardrobe?”

The Professor:

“Most likely.  But I think it will happen when we’re not looking for it.”

Prince Caspian

Lucy:

“Why didn’t you rescue us like before?”

Aslan:

“Nothing happens the same way twice, dear one…”

DBers don’t anticipate when God will release Swans or what they will look like – we just keep our radar high for an opportunity to respond.   In fact, in the midst of all this mystery there’s only one thing we can be sure of – Aslan is on the move!

So the box finally opens and the bird appears and prepares to fly.  Now the Dream Builder has only one choice to make:  Will he take the Blue Pill or the Red Pill?

Here are a few Red Pills DBs have swallowed. All are real – most you may not know about:

• “You feed them.” – Jesus to disciples on feeding the 5000
• “You make those Christian movies.”
• “You build that 300 foot tall Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.”
• “You adopt those kids from Russia.”
• “You hold that annual golf tournament to honor pastors.”
• “You organize a nation-wide event to celebrate My Creation.”
• “You create a national sports event to support breast cancer research called THE CURE BOWL.”

The Red Pill requires risk and faith – Spiritual “Guts” if you know what I mean.  So the Dream Builder reaches for the Red Pill and washes it down; when he does, his fellow DBs usually respond in one of three ways:

1. Don’t know how I can help, but I’m committed to you and to pray for your dream.
2. Don’t know how I can help, but I know someone who can – I’ll connect you.
3. You’re talking my passions, my “fastball” and/or my resources – I’m in!

What do I mean by “fastball”? 

Nolan Ryan won 300 games, threw no hitters until he was in his early 40’s, and struck out more batters than any other hurler in history on one pitch – a 100 (up to 104) mph heater that the best batters in the league said “disappeared” on its way to the plate.  Point: we all have our “Fastballs” that we bring to this game we call Dream Building.

And what happens when Dream Builders join other Dream Builders who are ready to fire their fastball?

The Lord replied: “Look, and be amazed!  You will be astounded at what I am about to do!  For I am going to do something in your own lifetime that you will have to see to believe.”  

Habakkuk 1:5  The Living Bible

I said that Dream Builders are weird.  They believe August Rush when he stated, “The MUSIC is all around us; all you have to do is listen.”

Dream Builders are counter cultural and often counter intuitive.   It is my privilege and one of the greatest joys of my life to lock arms with these lunatics as we open Mystery Boxes, release Swans, and gulp down Red Pills to engage in the Adventure and see God reveal his “odds” by doing what He does best – the Impossible.