The Power of VisionSample

Vision is Critical

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Someone asked Helen Keller, who had accomplished much even though she was both deaf and blind, what could be worse than being blind. She replied: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” 

How many sighted persons, even in the Body of Christ, have no vision for their lives? And how many visually impaired people have 20/20 vision for theirs? 

Etched deeply in my memory is the scene of a blind young man in dark glasses playing the guitar and testifying at New Life Fellowship Church in Byculla. I recall how he strummed and sang “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I am found, was blind, but now I see!” Wow, that hit me like a thunderbolt. This sight impaired individual could see, he had a clear vision.

After being appointed Pastor of New Life Fellowship in Mumbai, Pastor Joseph managed the small congregation in Byculla and had strong ties with the leadership of the other Mumbai NLF churches in the late 60s and 70s. He established the New Life Fellowship Association in 1975. However, the monotony of pastoring one congregation and working with elders whose prayer seemed to be: “Lord, You keep him humble and we’ll keep him poor,” was very frustrating. There must be more to life in Christ than this endless running wheel like that in a rodent cage. In one of our early NLF meetings a speaker presented three equations:

Vision - Task = Visionary

Task - Vision = Drudgery

Vision + Task = Missionary!

Pastor Joseph felt the drudgery of ministry work without a clear vision. For the visionary that he was soon to discover himself to be, this was insufferable.

Do you have a defining vision for your life?  Are you clear about your purpose and the plan God has for you?  Without vision we will be dwelling aimlessly but with vision we will be charged and propelled to live a life of meaning with direction. Ask God for a clear vision for your life.