Napoleon Dynamite

One of my all-time favorite comedies is Napoleon Dynamite. I love the combination of comic absurdity and sweet truths. For those of you who haven’t seen the movie, it’s a story about a social outcast (Napoleon) who finds his place through two friends (Deb and Pedro).

One of the ways Napoleon finds his footing in school is by following the example of Pedro, who has unnatural confidence. How unnatural? Even while being in the lowest tier of popularity, Pedro runs for class president. In his run for president, Pedro uses this classic line in his speech to the student body,

“If you vote for me, all your wildest dreams will come true.”

It’s a bold statement. However, for Napoleon, it’s a promise fulfilled (Napoleon ends the hero and gets the girl).

We all have dreams (even wild ones)

This year, I’m reading through a chronological Bible plan. This means I’m reading the Bible in the order in which the events took place in history—not necessarily book by book, chapter by chapter, or even verse by verse. I’ve just begun the New Testament portion of this reading plan.

You may know that three of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called synoptic Gospels because they are laid out similarly and tell the same stories (all from slightly different perspectives). Last week, I read a story in Mark and Matthew (Mark 9 and Matthew 17). Strangely enough, the story reminded me of Pedro’s promise to the high school.

The story is of a father who has a dream. His dream is simple — for his son to be free of some sort of unseen force. This force tried to kill his son multiple times. It had thrown him in both water and fire. The Bible records this as a demonic force. Others have interpreted it as an epileptic fit.

Either way, you can imagine the anguish and pain this causes this father. The pain drives this father to desperation — he’ll do anything for his dream to come true.

You have dreams, too, and they may revolve around your children. They might be very direct (like healing, schooling, or success) or indirect (like your job, marriage, or house).

Jesus is away when this father arrives with his son, so he asks Jesus’ disciples to heal the boy. We don’t know exactly what they’ve done, but they are unsuccessful. Thankfully, Jesus arrives to save the day. The boy is healed, and the father departs with his wildest dream come true.

Which is it?

But this isn’t the end of the story, because the disciples were perplexed. They wanted to know why couldn’t heal the boy. Maybe they had performed this type of miracle before, or possibly it seemed so easy for Jesus but not them. So, Matthew and Mark ask Jesus, “Why couldn’t we drive it (the demon) out?”

Interestingly, Jesus responds differently in Mark than he does in Matthew.

First Jesus says in Mark:

Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”  -Mark 9:29

Then Jesus says in Matthew:

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”
-Matthew 17:20

Which is it? Prayer or Faith?

I asked myself this question last week. These stories don’t match up. As I pondered this difference, something dawned on me.

Both of these authors are working to get a point across in their writings. Mark is written for a Greek and Roman audience. He focuses on the power of God moving through Jesus, so he is communicating the necessity to rely on God through prayer to see these things happen. Matthew is writing for a Jewish audience, and their hang-up is working to gain God’s approval. Matthew communicates the need for faith.

I’m guessing Jesus gave a broader answer than what they recorded, but they only shared what made the point they wanted to make more clear.

So this isn’t an either-or question and answer. It’s both.

We see the dreams we have come to pass when we pray…which helps produce faith in our hearts and minds.

Faith + Prayer = DREAM fulfilled.

I know you have dreams, and I know some of them are big, huge, I mean WILD. Your dream seems beyond possibility. I know because I have dreams just like this.

Jesus wants to show up. He wants to see your dream come true – no matter how big.

Jesus will show up when we pray with the faith that moves mountains. Nothing is impossible. Keep praying!

You don’t need to be at this alone. I would love to pray with you. Please take a minute to share some of your dreams with me. I encourage you to respond to this email or connect with me on social media (Instagram | Facebook | Threads).

Let’s see the impossible happen!

May all your wildest dreams come true.