I believe I was in second grade when I got my first pair of glasses. In those early years, I moved back and forth between contacts and glasses, but I’ve probably worn glasses exclusively for the past 15 years or so. It can be annoying at times, but I have terrible vision without them.
I have what the experts call astigmatism, which I believe is a fancy word for saying I can’t see stuff.
Google tells me it’s a defect in the lens, which results in distorted images, as light rays are prevented from meeting at a common focus.
No matter what the definition is, the fact is I’m a danger to myself and others when I’m not wearing my glasses.
My vision stinks.
Perhaps you or the church you serve has the same issue.
Scripture tells us, Where there is no vision, the people perish. Proverbs 29:18a
And it’s true. We all know people wondering aimlessly through life, and we all know of churches that have to close their doors because they lost their vision.
Andy Stanley, in his book Visioneering, says vision brings four things into our daily lives. We can also say vision brings these four things into our churches.
- Passion
The better your vision, the stronger emotion it invokes. It’s almost impossible to have passion without a vision. And those without a vision live passive lives. A strong vision stirs something within you that can’t be contained.
- Motivation
Without a vision for the future, there’s no need for motivation. Motivation needs a destination, otherwise you’re life will always stay in park. Weight Watchers realizes this, that’s why they’re always showing before and after pictures of their customers. If you’re a pastor, a big part of your job is painting a clear picture of what the future could look like for your church.
- Direction
Without a vision for where you want to go, you never know where you’ll end up. Clear vision sets the direction of our lives and helps us prioritize what’s important. If it’s not getting us closer to our goal, then it’s not something we need to do.
- Purpose
People with a clear vision for their lives are more likely to live their lives on purpose. As Stanley says, “A vision gives you a reason to get up in the morning.” I believe God’s given each of us a purpose. If you haven’t figured out what exactly that is yet, you may want to check your vision.
I can’t express enough how important vision is for your life and your church. It makes all the difference in the world. If your vision isn’t real clear right now, I encourage you to take some time this week to get focused.
Does your church have a crystal clear vision? What about your life? Let us know about it in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog to get updates on church growth, leadership, and more delivered to your inbox each week.
