Life's Daily Challenge Devotional

Vision and responsibility

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

To those with eyes to see,

The word vision means "a sight (mentally) as in a dream, revelation, or oracle. It comes from the root word meaning to gaze at; mentally to perceive, contemplate (with pleasure); spec. to have a vision of -- behold, look, prophesy, provide, see. -- Strong's Concordance

Vision is:

In Proverbs 29:18 Solomon equates vision with life and the keeping of the law. Few experiences can be more exhilarating than God revealing thoughts and impressions charged with destiny, calling and purpose. This is the first step toward making the intangible promises of God your own personal reality. You have to see them before you can run toward, or fight for them.

Vision is a process much like physical pregnancy. It begins with intimate union with God. As His vision grows within you, it actually becomes part of who you are. You really cannot separate yourselves from it. Over time, however, what was "cute" becomes inconvenient, and eventually even painful, and burdensome. Usually, there comes a time when you feel as if you cannot go on, but you know you’ve come too far to go back. This is how Peter and the other disciples must have felt. Christ’s sayings increasingly became more difficult. Religious leaders threatened and plotted to kill. Throngs of common people turned and walked away. Being with Christ was becoming very unpopular. Being a vision bearer, at times seems too much to handle. Like Peter there might be times when you find yourself wishing the suffering would stop, but saying, "Where else would I go?" (John 6:68) To abort or miscarry vision would be to destroy part of who you are. You have to continue to carry it through tough times if you want to be loyal to God and true to yourself.

When you are pregnant with vision you have a reason to say yes to things that are healthy (yet possibly unpleasant). You also have incentive to deny yourself things that are toxic (though they may seem pleasant). Discipline becomes easier because there is a reason for the rules. Following them carefully brings great reward.

You cannot make vision grow. You certainly can stop its growth, however. Terminating spiritual birth does not have to be intentional. Careless neglect can bring a cessation to the dreams of God. People of vision are purposeful. When you have vision (or you seek to become pregnant with it) your responsibility is to cooperate with the Spirit of God to make yourself a fertile and safe environment for His dreams to grow.