Vision Is Necessary to Survival and Growth

“Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).

I used the King James Version for Proverbs 29:18, the version I memorized. Some of the modern translations give additional insight to this important verse: “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.” (The Message Bible by Eugene Peterson). The New International Version reads: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.” The Amplified Bible adds even more insight to the verse: “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man], blessed, happy, fortunate [and enviable] is he.”

Vision, then, is necessary to both survival and growth as a nation and individually, as a church or as a business. On every level of life, without vision (revelation), hope perishes and progress is squelched. This may seem to directly contradict the advice we studied in Proverbs 27:1: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Remember the emphasis in that verse is of boasting, bragging about what tomorrow holds. This in no way precludes our having prophetic vision, which means that we plan and work toward goals according to God’s redemptive plan. Vision, in biblical contexts, is God’s visiting His people with concepts that work. The song writer had the right idea: “I know who holds the future, and I know who holds my hand.” With this knowledge and assurance, vision will become reality.

Recall some notable visions from both the Old and New Testaments. Moses saw the burning bush, aflame but not consumed. From that vision, Moses received God’s assignment to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James and John saw the Lord’s glory. Later, Peter saw in the vision of the clean and unclean animals that the gospel is for every person regardless of race. All learned that such a mountaintop experience as the vision provided was prelude to their going back into the valley to work in the highways and hedges of life. Vision inspires us and equips us. Vision instructs us and motivates us. And, as the writer of Proverbs observes, “Without vision, the people perish.” Let us pray for renewed vision and power to “work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work” (John 9:4).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, August 2, 2010