Visionary Leadership: The Importance of a Vision

by Rev. Chrysantha Tillekeratne
(Veliveriya, Sri Lanka)

As we are about to step into another year, the question we need to ask ourselves is “Do I have a vision for 2011?” A vision for the family, ministry, business, or whatever.

There are many who do not have a vision for their lives and wonder how to obtain one. Then there are others who have a vision but are stuck n the mud of confusion not knowing what to do next. Then there are those who had a vision but who have abandoned it due to disillusionment, discouragement, frustration, or failure.

Civilisations were born and developed through the driving power of a visionary leader. It was vision that inspired the first Biblical civilization established by the great hunter Nimrod. Vision produced the great Egyptian civilization over 4000 years ago that gave rise to the towering pyramids that amazes us even today. The canvas of history is painted with evidence of the creative force of vision.

The Bible says in Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, people perish”. If you do not have a vision for 2011, the year will just slip by. It will be added to one of those wasted years. This series on Visionary Leadership will certainly help you to live a life on purpose, to stay on course and lead others to their destination.

Remember, you were born to achieve something significant and you are destined to make a difference in your generation. It all begins with a God given vision that determines your destiny. Your future is not ahead of you but lies within you.

So what is a vision? The root word in Hebrew (CHAZOWN) is to gaze at or “mentally perceive”. It is seeing the forest and not just the trees. It is also a bird’s eye view of the “Big picture”.

Before an architect draws a plan for a house, he mentally perceives what the house will look like from all directions. Then he puts his thoughts on a paper which is called a plan.

Michelangelo said” In every block of marble I see a statue, as plainly as though it stood before me. shaped and perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hue away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to other eyes as mine sees it”.

Hellen Keller was asked “What would be worse than being born blind? She replied “To have sight without vision” So it’s time that you saw beyond your natural eyes and started living for the unseen. Sight is the function of the eyes. Vision is the function of the heart! Vision gives you the ability to see the opportunities within your current circumstances.