You will never leave where you are until you see where you'd rather be - Unknown source
I think that the greatest gift God ever gave man is not the gift of sight but the gift of vision.
Helen Keller, American author, disability rights advocate, political activist and lecturer said, “the only thing that is worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” After many years, this statement still resonates with us because of the person who said it. Helen Keller was blind and deaf before she turned two from an unknown illness. How possible is it that someone who was blind at a young age could make such a statement. That is because she didn’t allow her situation to define her, with the help of Anne Sullivan her teacher, she learned to read, speak and write. It looks impossible until you see that Helen became the first blind and deaf person in history to graduate from college. Tying her words with her chievements in a period of lesser technological advancements, one can agree that a life without a vision is worse than blindness.
Sadly, many of us are in a shack, caught up in the rut of life in-between our present circumstances and what we will really love to do. Others don’t seem to have any idea what they can do with their lives. A life without a vision is not purposeful, so many feel that there is more to their lives, but they just cannot lay a finger on it. So gradually, emptiness, discouragement, loneliness, and desperation set in and estrange them from the world and people around them. But making a step into their unperceived preferred world seems impossible because of a lack of vision for life. Where are you? Where would you rather want to be? What is stopping you? If there is any decision you can take today, what will it be?
Myles Munroe echoed similar sentiments, “sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart". When a person doesn’t have a vision, he lives by what he physically sees. But often what we see with the physical eyes can lead us astray if our hearts cannot perceive from God's perspective. Throughout scripture we see countless examples of trouble caused by merely following the natural senses. The Pharisees couldn’t recognize Jesus as Messiah simply because their judgement of His physical circumstances blinded them from the truth of His person. Lot was also driven by his eyes to pitch his tent near Sodom, thereby endangering his household. In Genesis 13:8-11 (NKJV), we read,
8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.” 10 And Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan, and Lot journeyed east. And they separated from each other.
Beloved, I want you to pause and reflect on a few questions. Close your eyes, if you can, to avoid any distraction. Be attentive to listen for God's voice which may come as thoughts or impressions during this task. And be careful to note these for further reflection.
• What is that desire of yours that never seems to leave you?
• Where do you see yourself in 1, 3 or 5 years time?
• Where do you see your family? Career? Finances?
When God gave Abram a vision of his life, He revealed his plans beyond Abram's lifetime. The vision was to Abraham but his descendants were included even before they were born: "
for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever".
Meaning, the vision would outlive Abraham, and that is true of God's vision for all of us. God always intends to do something that outlives us with our lives. That is why we must consciously ask ourselves, "What will the generations after me come and see?"
There are many brands that have become household names and few today know the story behind them - take Colgate, Bakers/Digestive biscuits or Guinness. Colgate, for instance, as of the year 2023, has been in existence for 217 years. How many generations is that? He first started as a soap seller but today Colgate-Plamolive company is worth more than 60.87 billion. Why? It was birthed by a man with vision.
The Colgate family fled from England and settled in America during the Civil war. Robert Colgate, William’s father, was a farmer. William was interested in soap making and at the age of 19 he started his own enterprise with his aunt’s financial help. He produced soap under his own name but unfortunately the business was a failure. Though William had to close down his initial business, he was determined to make a success of soap making. Encouragement came through the Bible and through a friend. He read about Jacob making a commitment to God as he left his home. “Then Jacob made a vow to the LORD :If you will be with me and protect me in the journey I am making and give me food and clothing, and if I return safely to my father’s home, then you will be my God… and I will give you a tenth of everything you give me.” (Genesis 28:20-21).
William prayed the same prayer. His Christian friend had advised him, “Start right and you will go well. Be a good man. Give your heart to Christ: give God all that belongs to him. Make an honest soap business and God will prosper you.” William decided to honour God and give him first place in all his endeavours. He also decided that he would give one tenth of his earnings to God.
William started his new venture on Dutch Street and gave God the tenth from the very first earning he made. God was given the first place in his life and career as he had covenanted. That was the beginning of a business enterprise, William Colgate and Company, whose products have conquered the world’s cosmetic market. Its operations branched out from laundry soap manufacture into a host of other products, with in a short time. William was faithful to God and kept his promise. As God prospered him, he began to give more to God. From ten per cent his giving gradually changed to 20 % then 30 and so on. The more he gave, the more he earned.
Vision will drive your purpose and outlive you and your generation. There are many who started life with great enthusiasm but along the way, they either gave up, became confused, lost focus or interest in whatever they set out to do or accomplish. I believe like you there are days you wake up and wonder if you made the right decisions. Or you have that knowing that there is more to this life. Or you're just tired of the system: you are working, making money and babies but you still have this deep longing or chasm in you. You may even be frustrated with your current work but you drag yourself through to make ends meet. So, the problem is not the job but the lack of vision to drive your next step. Vision drives purpose and a life without purpose is headed for destruction as our anchor verse says.
Someone said, you will never leave where you are until you see where you'd rather be. So, I ask you again: What do you see? Where do you want to be? Where do you see yourself, life, career, family, business? Many others will also read this same bulletin but it is likely we will all not see the same thing. What we see gives us perspective (pace + place), determines our priorities in life, shows us how we use our time. What we see becomes our drive, informs our choices and decisions, the friends we choose, the person we marry, the family we aspire to build. As The Passion Translation puts it, people wander astray not because they don’t have eyes to see but because there is no clear prophetic vision. Meaning if we depend only on our physical eyes to lead us we will miss the way or make poor judgements.
Vision is to have a mental picture of a future or a pre-knowledge of the events that will occur in the nearest future. Vision simply is to see - to see what God is doing, his plan for your life, your marriage, career etc. “Vision is a source of hope; it’s the source of courage; it’s the source of perseverance in the midst of difficulty.” God has a plan for every life and that includes you (see Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28).
Myles Munroe said, “vision is more than just a goal, it is a strong embodiment of hopes and dreams with a glaring picture. When the vision is clear, there will be a clear sense of purpose. Purpose is the reason behind your vision, while the vision is the dream. Michael Faraday invented an electric bulb (vision), to initiate more efficient and brighter lighting system (purpose). The purpose for your living is hidden inside of your vision; therefore, until you discover your vision, you will never find purpose. Vision gives purpose direction. On the other hand, vision is the atlas for a purposeful living. You are created to fulfill a special purpose here on earth, the purpose will be unknown until you seek to discover your vision”.