The Power of Vision

People of vision see what others do not. They envision in their hearts and minds a better tomorrow and guide others to what is not yet apparent.

The Power of Vision

"And Moses said to the people, 'Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."

(Exodus 14:13-14)

People of vision see what others do not. They envision in their hearts and minds a better tomorrow and guide others to what is not yet apparent. I love visionary leaders. They are inspirational, have undaunted courage, and move forward amidst doubts. Sometimes those doubts come from painful encounters with those who cannot see what you see. At other times, the doubts arise from within. Every leader has dealt with both external and internal doubts. But instead of stepping away from the challenge, they keep walking into this brighter picture of tomorrow.

I am currently reading the definitive biography of Walt Disney, written by Neal Gabler. The title of the book is Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination. I have wanted to read about Disney, to probe into how he became such a visionary leader. I have not yet read 100 pages of the 800+ page biography, but I've read enough to see that like most great visionary leaders, he experienced his share of hardship before becoming the leader he was. As a young boy in Missouri growing up in the early 1900s, he delivered newspapers for his very strict and stern father, Elias. Walt worked for six years, and in that time, he only took 5 weeks off! He would fall asleep in class due to getting up at 3:30 a.m. to go to work. His teachers interpreted his drowsiness and lack of attention to him not being intelligent. In fact, one teacher put him in a seat in the classroom designated for one of the dumbest students in the class. Another teacher slapped him in the face when he brought a mouse to class. I find that very ironic. He had a thing for mice, you know! But Disney's hardships did not break him; rather, they helped make him the determined, disciplined man he was, a leader others would follow.

The scene for our biblical text today is an intense one. The Egyptians are pursuing Moses and the Israelites. They come to the Red Sea, and there is nowhere to go. The people begin to complain bitterly to Moses. They tell Moses that it would have been better for them to live in Egypt as slaves than die following him! But Moses saw what they could not yet see. He knew God would deliver them. I love his response. He told them to stand still and see the salvation of the LORD. He also told them that the LORD would fight for them. He had seen God work miracles in the past, and he was convinced that the LORD had not brought them this far to abandon them then.

I am not the leader that Moses was or a visionary like Walt Disney. But I do lead a local church and believe God has given me a vision for the future of our church. I am dependent on God each step of the way and know that without Him, there is no way this vision can come to pass. I had lunch last week with a friend and encourager named Dallas. He told me, "God has given you this vision for a reason." I agree. The vision will take time to come to fruition but when it does, it will empower our church to reach far more people than we could imagine.

I pray for each of you as you lead. May God place in your heart a vision for a better future and give you the courage and determination to see it through.