What is vision? Why do I find it important enough to incorporate it into the

title of this whole site?

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Vision is not just eyesight or an idea drawn up from imagination. Vision is also the ability

to use foresight and wisdom to come up with a plan to impact and change the future.

Each of these definitions act as a metaphor to explain one another–in fact, the word “vision”

came into existence around 1300, with the original definition of “something seen in the

imagination or in the supernatural.” Excuse the word nerd in me, moving on.

 

Vision also requires conviction, passion, and commitment. (And usually in that order.)

 

Being convicted of something is the realization that you were wrong about something

you’ve done, and now you not only know better, you understand why. It’s the first step to

improvement. It’s a change in perception of yourself and the world, and it starts a chain of

other convictions. You have a new vision, able to see everything else differently.

Conviction is revelation, a new understanding, that impacts the lens through which you

see everything. Conviction, if intentionally acted upon, will not just give you a new

understanding, but the desire to to think and act and live differently.

In the spiritual sense, conviction is the inception of a new believer’s life, and happens

continually through sanctification. It’s the Holy Spirit in us that convicts us to see how we’ve fallen short of God’s glory and how much we are in desperate need of salvation (John 3:16, Hebrews 11:1, Acts 1:8).

 

Passion is having the drive to take action, a love for something so fierce that you execute it with excellence. To people with a passion, it’s more than just a hobby for them. I would argue that having a passion is a mindset powered by a vision that sees you through imminent opposition until a goal is reached. It’s a mindset that seeks to break outside the comfort zone and do what those with no passion or vision would deem impossible and not worth the risk.

 

Commitment is moving forward acknowledging the risk. Simply living is a risk, and every decision comes with a risk. The future is unknown and anything we decide to do starts a chain reaction that impacts the future and brings something else to happen as a direct or indirect result. Imagine, then, the risks that come with doing something outside your comfort zone. Noncommittal people will immediately back down in the face of any discomfort or inconvenience, letting complacency erase all areas of potential for growth. But commitment, sparked by conviction and fueled by passion, will bring you to reach your full potential of who you were created to be and to do. 

 

If you are a leader, vision should drive your communication, or the people you are stewarding have no idea what the goal of the team is. In order for success within your team, everyone needs to know not just what they’re doing, but why they’re doing it and how it impacts the future. If you are a father or mother (probably the most important job in your entire life), you must have a vision to be effective in your parenting. Otherwise, your children will grow up living lives without discipline or guidance, which leads to confusion as to what life is all about. Vision as a parent is beyond essential as you are directly impacting the future generation. If you are a creator, you must have a vision to clearly communicate the importance and necessity of your output. You could create with a purpose or meaning. But creating something not just for the joy of creating but with the goal to provide a unique perspective that could instill conviction in someone else to lead them on a path to having the same vision as well? That’s having vision.

 

But you can’t have vision unless you’ve already been given vision of some sort.

 

Remember the word definition from the 1300s I mentioned earlier? I think the original definition stands truer than any modern take on the word “vision.” I believe that it is “seeing something” “in the supernatural” as well as with the imagination; God had a vision when He created us (Genesis 1, Jeremiah 29:11). We learn that through studying the Word He gave to us and spending time in communication with Him. His vision was to create us in His image—as creators with an imagination—so that we would understand His vision for our lives: to have a relationship with Him as our Heavenly father (John 1:12, 2 Timothy 3:16, Jeremiah 29:12). God’s vision is the Bible: the word of truth. Veritas. The Word through which we understand his vision. He also gave us the tools of conviction, passion, and commitment to live for Him and to provide His vision with the rest of mankind. And this is the ultimate vision that has been given to each and every one of us, before we were born: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Jeremiah 1:5, Micah 6:8). 

 

We were created to create. What will you create?

 

Everyone has a vision for their life. What are you going to do with yours?