Haters Can’t Cancel Your Dreams

Scriptural Meditation: Genesis 37-50

The Hip Hop generation has made the words “hateration” and “haterade” popular terms. While the concepts may appear new, Ecclesiastes 1:9 specifically tells us, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Hateration has existed since biblical times, and the life of Joseph is one such example. Joseph’s story helps us understand how the children of Israel ended up in Egypt and consider the providence of God. The narrative also serves as a reminder of what not to do with your dreams.

Joseph’s father identifies him as the chosen son; he is not only the favored son, but also the son of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel. Joseph is both a dreamer and an interpreter of dreams. In the beginning, the 17-year- old dreamer was a little naïve, as he shares his visions with people who chose to “hate” and not “celebrate.” His brothers thought that if they could destroy the dreamer they could destroy the dream.

Some of us are 27, 37, 47, 57 and we are naive in the sense that we have received a dream, a vision, and instead of keeping it to ourselves, we go and share it with others. As the young people would say, you just put it “on blast.” You go post it on the social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook, and tell everybody what God has done or will do. In a time when people are more concerned with our demise and not our success, we have to guard our hearts and dreams.

While we must share our testimonies and tell of God’s blessings, we must mark “embargo” on some of our blessings. The word, “embargo,” often appears at the top of press releases sent to journalists and media organizations. That notation indicates that the information is only to be released on or after a specific date and not a minute earlier. Like the info in the press release, some things in your life are not quite ready for publication.

No matter what Joseph’s brothers or his captors did, they could not cancel his dreams. Remember, no matter what anyone does or attempts to do, they cannot redirect your dreams. They cannot destroy your purpose; they cannot abort your calling. They can hate, but they cannot take away those things God placed inside of you.
I am a living witness that haters might disrupt your sleep, but they cannot cancel your dreams.