John 1:1-5 , James 4:2-4 , James 4:13-16
The world is infatuated with passion and excitement. We are ever looking for the extraordinary amidst the ordinary. As a result, so many charismatic leaders are hoisted on pedestals only to fail miserably and fall mightily, after exploiting followers, compromising the integrity of the organization, and wasting valuable resources.
Meanwhile, Christ came into this ordinary, dusty world and brought the extraordinary realities of eternal life through his sacrifice on the cross, and the transforming power of the Gospel, which can touch every aspect of our lives. This is where the truly extraordinary resides: in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
When leaders try to inspire a shared vision, they often do so in a way that sets them up for failure:
- They put themselves on a pedestal, believing that they are the essential ingredient for success, and because they do that, they don’t seek feedback from others.
- They put their vision on a pedestal, and because they do that, they are unwilling to consider the possibility that their vision is out of touch with the ordinary routines and realities of organizational constraints, processes, and tasks.
- They put their hope in their vision rather than in what will really last, which is a deep and abiding relationship with Christ.
Yes, Christians are guilty of doing these things as they minister to others. They put their vision and calling above obedience to the Lord. We probably all know what it’s like to have a good idea, and because it’s a good idea, we assume that the Lord automatically approves of it. We justify to ourselves that God wants what we want, rather than considering the greater goal, which is to want what God wants. We idolize a particular desire, and we are crushed when that desire is not realized. But if we really desired what God wanted, we would never be without hope, because God only wants what is best for us and for others.
In the end, our visions lead us astray because rather than believing in the Gospel message (that we need a Savior, and that our Savior came to bring us eternal life), we believe that God is our servant who will do what we want. We live for the temporal moment, and in doing so, we seek the extraordinary in goals, plans, and visions that can never give us that, because the extraordinary only comes from Christ alone. It’s not until we surrender to the Lord and allow him to truly guide us that our visions will be of any lasting value.
As you prepare for sharing in the devotional, consider the following questions.
- How easy is it to get excited about a particular vision or idea and, as a result, forget to pray meaningfully about whether or not that vision or idea is even in God’s will for us?
- How often do you find yourself being more excited about temporal things than about what Christ has done for you on the cross? Why is this so easy to do?
- What takeaways from this devotional might be applicable in secular organizations when vision-casting?
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