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Good Morning,

Years ago, I had a job selling butterflies in glass cases in America.
I travelled to 32 states, cold selling to gift shops from the trunk of a Chevrolet. It was the 80s and the notion of The American Dream had credence. Its exact definition was elusive, but it had something to do with freedom, opportunity and every American having the chance of attaining a better life. The scale and beauty of America and the energy of its people made me a believer; that is until I drove deep down into the Southern states and found those living well beyond the dream’s reach.

Waking up yesterday from the fever dream of the American election to the reality of Donald Trump’s victory speech, I noticed the signage behind the podium said, ‘Dream Big Again.’ It appeared to be an invitation to look back to a time when an American could dream big. And to speak to the people for whom the prospect of a better life had long been out of reach. He even talked of a golden age being ushered in and the healing of wounds. It was all vaguely biblical.

There is clearly a yawning gap between the American Dream and the reality of American living, and Trump has skilfully harnessed this. As the gap between rich and poor has widened, and the road to opportunity narrowed, that dream has become fitful and more troubling. If there is such a thing as an American Dream, let us hope that disaffection and rancour doesn’t warp and diminish it into something meaner and less inclusive.

There was once a Babylonian king called Nebuchadnezzar who had a troubling dream. A dream so unnerving he demanded his wise men not only interpret the dream but tell him what it was. Reasonably they ask him to describe the dream first so that they might interpret it. He flew into a rage and threatened to execute them. Then a young Jewish exile called Daniel stepped forward. He asked God to reveal the dream to him and to give him the interpretation.

The incredible thing is that Daniel not only told the king his dream, he gave an interpretation that would have been deeply alarming for any ruler of to hear, describing a shattering end to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden reign. ‘God deposes rulers and sets up others,’ said Daniel, and He will establish a kingdom that would outlive them all. A kingdom better than any dreamt by people.

In this moment, Daniel gives us a timely perspective on who is really running things. It’s the perspective of a God whose kingdom reach is not limited to the whims of a particular ruler, or a particular group or political affiliation, but extends to all people, whatever their class, race, gender or nation.

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