Eyes that look are common; eyes that see are rare.
-Oswald Sanders
Vision is something that is uncommon in our world. Yet, vision is a powerful thing that is freely available to any who would seek to gain it. It is the driving force behind progress; it is the uniting bond that holds a group to a common goal. It is the igniting fire behind inspiration, and it ensures the perseverance of a path. Anywhere that we find a thriving movement and continued success, we undoubtedly find vision.
Scripture is clear, that without vision, the people perish. Without vision, death will come prematurely to any plan or path. Without vision there is no endurance, and where there is no endurance, there is no hope. Vision is the vital ingredient in the formation of hope. Without vision, there is no hope. There is no idea or goal on which to set our hope upon. I have often heard it said that God can’t steer a parked car. And there have been seasons in my life where such counsel was good and timely, but we must be careful not to wake up in the morning, and get in our car and start driving without having some idea of what places we will be going and the things we will be doing. Doing so will surely leave us out of gas, stranded on the side of the road, with no idea where we really are. However, if we first take a moment, and acquire a vision of what must be accomplished, and what our day will look like, we can not only be better stewards of our time and resources. Vision enables us to avoid the pitfalls of “death”. Without vision, our attempts to move forward are met with an untimely demise.
So what does vision look like? Well, to put it simply, vision is sight. It is having a picture and also an understanding of what lies before you. A clear and shared vision exists behind every successful company. From an understanding of the corporate vision, the company’s decisions are determined. Their employees are hired based on their ability to conform to and and help achieve the shared vision. The employees are also much more productive because of their “marriage” to the vision, and not solely based on financial gain. And even more amazingly, the company attracts its customers through it’s vision. Time has proven that people are attracted to vision. An individual is much more likely to purchase from a company that has displayed a clear vision, even if the product is inferior or more expensive. Think back on some of the most successful advertising campaigns (not the commercials you laugh at, but you cant remember what they are selling). I can guarantee you that you will find that they have put their focus more on their vision, and less on their products or services.
We are attracted to vision, it inspires us, it excites us, and we feel at a loss without it. So where does vision come from? Vision comes from the top down. It is the responsibility of anyone in leadership to receive vision from above, and pass it down to those who are under their leadership. A leader who is not able to share a vision with those he is over, will find that he and his organization are not making progress, constantly banging away at the same problems with no success, until there is not enough strength to keep banging away. However, a leader who is able to clearly articulate his vision to those who are under his leadership, will find that those who are below him are empowered to achieve the vision, and the followers will require less oversight and will become more productive. The problems that one would expect to face will become non-issues, and the problems that do arise, will not break their morale, but instead will be met with tenacity and perseverance. The people that make up such an organization will be empowered to learn, adapt, and persevere in order to achieve its vision.
So how does vision apply to the kingdom of God? Vision is a Godly attribute. Since vision comes from above, then all true vision must flow from God, it must align itself with kingdom principles. And in His kingdom there is no death, only life. There are is meandering or shallow motivations, nor are there any products or actions brought about simply for the sakes of themselves. If we are in Christ, we become “married” to the vision from above. We set our hope on the glorious appearance of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We become unified with all others who share in that vision, and our unified movement motivated by that vision stirs a curiosity and a wonder in all those who look on from the outside.
Not only do we have a single unified vision as the bride of Christ and children of the Most High God. We also have local visions, as local churches, and Christian organizations have unique visions of their own. And even we as individuals have visions given directly to us from God. But because all of these visions flow from the same source, God, we should find that all these visions work in a wonderful harmony. God’s word does not contradict itself, and neither do the visions that God imparts to those who are joined with Him through Christ.
Vision is incredibly important. We must constantly be renewing our minds, seeking to receive further revelations of the multifaceted vision that God has given us. We must be hearing those who are over us, to better understand the vision that corporately we are walking in. And we must be reminding those who are under us of the vision that has been given to us.
The man of God must have insight into things spiritual. He must be able to see mountains filled with horses and chariots of fire; he must be able to interpret that which is written by the finger of God upon the walls of conscience; he must be able to translate the signs of the times into terms of their spiritual meaning: he must be able to draw aside, now and then, the curtain of things material and let mortals glimpse the spiritual glories which crown the mercy seat of God. The man of God must declare the pattern that was shown to him on the mount, he must utter the vision granted to him upon the isle of revelation…None of these things can he do without spiritual insight.
-Powhatten James
Let us pray that we might receive our spiritual sight. Pray against deception that would attempt to skew the focal point or blur the edges. Pray for those who are blind, that God would open their eyes, and grant them sight through his precious grace. Let us pray that we would understand what has been laid out before us, and be able to articulate it clearly to those who have joined with us in a common vision, and pray that we will be teachable and hearers of the vision that God has granted to those who he has placed above us in His infinite wisdom.
And one final note:
A vision without a task makes a visionary.
A task without a vision is drudgery.
A vision with a task makes a missionary.
Once we have obtained a vision, we must do something about it. Having a mountain top experience where you see all that is before you, is a wonderful thing, but looking and even understanding what you are looking at, won’t get you there, until you start putting one foot in front of the other. Where we have vision, we must also have movement.
God bless!
