A Beautiful Vision

A Beautiful Vision

Publication: The Lookout

Date: September 15, 2002

Column: First Look

Category: Vision; Leadership

In his book, Be the Leader You Were Meant to Be (Chariot Victor, 2002), Leroy Eims wrote, "A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do." George Barna says vision is "foresight with insight based on hindsight." It's "seeing the invisible and making it visible" (The Power of Vision, Gospel Light, 1997).

In sports, vision is Vince Lombardi taking over a losing team called the Green Bay Packers and seeing they could become world champions.

In business, it's Dave Thomas starting a restaurant chain that featured square hamburgers to symbolize his philosophy of not cutting corners, and seeing that it could become the Wendys enterprise with thousands of franchises nationwide.

In art, it's a painter picturing how the finished painting will look even before he puts the first brush to the canvas.

In music, it's a songwriter composing a tune and lyrics in her head before she puts the notes on paper.

In a Christian home, it's a mom and dad helping their sons and daughters catch a glimpse of their potential as servants of God.

In the Bible, it's Nehemiah looking at the broken-down walls of Jerusalem and telling the Israelites, "It's time to rise up and build." It's Joshua and Caleb urging the people to advance boldly into the Promised Land when others doubted God's power. It's Jeremiah seeing past 70 years of exile to a time of restoration and hope. It's Daniel seeing the kingdom of God is like a rock that keeps rolling and picking up steam until it becomes a mighty mountain.

Vision is Jesus seeing that the kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed that will grow into a large tree. It's Paul recognizing that baby Christians have the potential to grow into the likeness of Christ, and encouraging them to press on toward the goal. It's John lifting the eyes of a suffering church to catch a glimpse of Christ in all his heavenly glory.

The greatest visionary of all is the Lord God. He is the Master Designer who envisioned a world that did not exist and created it from nothing. He is the supreme Artist who invented colors, textures, and angles—and then created us in his image with imaginations of our own and minds and emotions to respond to his work and ours. He's the Lord of the past, the ruler of the present, the shaper of the future. He transformed the cross, an instrument of death, into a symbol of grace. Out of the rubble of our sin, he sculpted a masterpiece of redemption. Our heavenly Father not only sees us as we are; he sees what we can become as we grow in Christ.

God's inspiring vision propels us toward progress. President Ronald Reagan used to say that status quo is simply Latin for "the mess we're in." People with vision look at the world through the eyes of faith and see how things need to be different. Barna writes, "Vision for ministry is a clear mental image of a preferable future imparted by God to his chosen servants and is based upon an accurate understanding of God, self, and circumstances." Vision is a spiritual conveyor belt, moving us from the present to the future.

What new artistry does the Lord desire to shape in your life? Have you caught his beautiful vision for you and for his church?