LEADERS ARE PLANNERScannot see, or will not see. They are visionaries simply because they
envisage and envision their vision. As the familiar cliché says: “Every person
views life through some kind of ‘rose tinted glasses.’” The tint of those
emotional lenses determines how we see all of the rest of life. We may
have a negative and pessimistic perspective of life because we view life
through the dark and distorted lenses of insecurity...hurt...bitterness...
resentment...anger...and depression. Or we may have a more positive and
optimistic viewpoint because we see life through the clearer emotional
lenses of faith...love...hope...joy...happiness...security...contentment.
Leaders, however, constantly envision life through their vision. The
visionary views all of life through the perspective of his vision – which
causes a continuous revision of his own life. The imagination of his mind
is focused and fixed on his vision. A leader’s insight largely determines
his sight! What they see through their spiritual eyes is more important
and compelling to them than what they see through their natural eyes –
even though their vision may at times be blurred as “...through a glass,
darkly” (I Cor. 13:12; KJV).
Principle:
“A leader’s insight largely determines his sight.”Because leaders often see what others do not see, their prayer for their
followers is often similar to what Paul prayed for the saints at Ephesus.
Just as is the case with every young Christian, some of the Ephesian
saints were having problems with their spiritual eyesight:
“I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened
in order that you may know the hope to which He has
called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the
saints, and His incomparable great power for us who
believe” (Eph. 1:18-19).It is obvious from this prayer that Paul was somewhat frustrated that
these young Christians at Ephesus could not spiritually see what God
had made available to them through Christ. He was praying for them that
their spiritual eyes would be opened so that they could see for themselves
what he could so clearly see for them. God had a wonderful plan for their
lives that involved far more than they were seeing or experiencing. Paul
wanted them to see the “hope...riches...power” that God had provided