The Lovers, the Dreamers, and Me

The title of today’s post is inspired by Kermit the Frog’s classic song, “Rainbow Connection.”

First appearing in The Muppet Movie, Kermit sings the song at the story’s outset, and it establishes Kermit’s starting point for the movie and sets up his journey and his growth.

But before the journey, before the growth, and before Fozzie, Gonzo, Miss Piggy, and all his other Muppet friends enter the picture, it all begins with simple scene—a frog, a banjo, and a dreamy song of longing and contemplation. 

But what is the Rainbow Connection? What connects the lovers, the dreamers, and me?

Kermit the Frog probably didn’t know it at the time, but I think his musing was more profound than he might’ve given himself credit for. His song speaks of the power of faith and belief—a type of faith that has substance and power at its very existence, even if the physical reality surrounding that faith is tenuous, uncertain, or obscured.

Indeed, Kermit saw part of the picture, not the whole. He longed for the connection, but fell short of finding it. But unless we understand this “rainbow connection”—this spiritual reality underpinning the power of faith and dreams—our wishes and dreams can actually work against us, not for us.

In truth, to be a dreamer can be seen as a good thing or bad thing. It’s good when dreams are seen in the contexts of creativity, initiative, and revelation. Being a “dreamer” is bad when in the context of impulsiveness, hedonism, delusion.

So, that leads to the question, what kind of dreamer are you? Good or bad?

The good dreamer sees this so-called “rainbow connection.” And when we take a closer look at both kinds of dreams and both kinds of dreamers, that connection becomes clear…

Jude and the Nightmare Dreamers

In the biblical book of Jude, he speaks of dreamers in a very distinctive, memorable fashion:

“Nevertheless, these dreamers likewise defile their flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones.” (Jude 8)

When I read this verse recently, the word “dreamer” jumped out at me because I’ve always viewed the word in a more positive light. After all, I’m a dreamer! I have a lot of dreams I want to see accomplished, yet here we see a certain class of dreamers exposed and called out.

What makes these dreamers “bad”? They are described as those who “defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones.”

What does that even mean?

Jude’s letter was written to encourage the Christians of the early church to “contend for the faith.” The reason? Verse 4 says,

“For some men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.”

Then, leading into verse 8, Jude gives examples of Egypt and Sodom and Gomorrah. In Egypt, they did not believe, and in Sodom and Gomorrah, they “committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions.” 

“Nevertheless, these dreamers…”

Jude goes on to describe them as people who “blaspheme anything they don’t understand.” They are also compared to the infamous biblical figures Cain, Balaam, and Korah, and Jude concludes in verse 16, “These people are discontented grumblers, walking according to their desires; their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering people for their own advantage.”

So, to review, who are these dreamers? They reject authority and complain, grumble, and deny things that they don’t like or don’t fully understand. They put themselves in the position of God and follow with their own feelings and understanding, even when those feelings slip into selfishness and perversion.

The bad kind of dreamers dream with their heart as their god, believing in their own ambition. creativity, and whim above anything else. These dreamers are selfish, prideful, and conceited.

They don’t see the “rainbow connection” because they don’t see the consequences of their actions and they don’t see their capable determination and creative aspirations in context of the Creator who gave them those things.

Belief, Drive, and Creativity Come from God

God is the ultimate artist, the creative sculptor of atoms, weaver of chemical reactions, painter of galaxies, composer of the music of all biology. and the writer of all destinies.

In scripture, humans are described individually as God’s workmanship, the poem of His creative expression.

All creativity in humans has its context in the creator who made them. The good kind of dreamer sees creativity as a gift to be stewarded, not as a power to manipulate.

A good dreamer is rooted in love, both for God and for those in the world around them. The further removed from love you are, the more selfish you will be, and the more you will be led to corruption and perversion. 

I know the word “perversion” makes people uncomfortable, but it is an accurate descriptor of anything that distorts God’s nature, plan, or intent. When we seek our own glory over his, that’s perversion. When we seek to build our own kingdom and build our own platform and reputation as a higher priority than building the kingdom of God, than we are perverting God’s gift to us as a means to our own selfishness.

If you want to be a good dreamer, you must see the love of God as the context for your dreams, whether in creativity or in initiative.

But I know what some of you may be asking…

What does any of this have to do with Kermit the Frog and the Rainbow Connection? Kermit’s not talking about God, true, but God is exactly who he seeks.

Let me explain.

The Real Rainbow Connection

Kermit is singing about belief in the unseen. He’s acknowledging the power of faith even when the physical substance is lacking. He sees the value in a rainbow and a wish and a yearning even when those things can’t be quantified.

A rainbow is an illusion of light, right? But why are they mesmerizing? As Kermit asks, “why are there so many songs about rainbows?”

The truth Kermit and the rest of need to know is this: there is a spiritual world. God exists! He made all of us and He loves His creation. Just because something isn’t physical or materially verifiable doesn’t mean it automatically doesn’t exist.

Faith has value beyond the physical knowledge of the thing your faith is in. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of the things we can’t see (Hebrews 11:1). God functions in a realm of faith, which is trust in uncertainty, and that trust connects us to the God who made all things and therefore connects us to all things.

Again, we must acknowledge, Kermit’s understanding is incomplete. Faith alone doesn’t produce automatic results, though it can and does affect your mental state. Faith only really connects us when it connects us to God.

Not just any god, but the creator God—who made humans, who made the universe, who made the earth, who made rainbows.

In the book of Genesis, the rainbow is given as a sign of God’s covenant with Noah after the great flood, a sign that a flood would never again be sent to destroy the world.

Rainbows are more than illusions of light. Rainbows have a spiritual substance, a promise independent of their scientific existence.

The rainbow is the sign of God’s mercy, His love for all in the world. This love is the connection between the lovers, the dreamers, and me.

If you’re a dreamer, find this connection. Without it, your dreams become the world’s nightmares. 

But with it? You’re part of something infinitely more beautiful and profound than your dreams could’ve imagined.