Sight without vision

Sight without vision

Larry Johnson was one of many special people we met when we went through our Bible and missionary training with New Tribes Mission forty years ago. He had a loving and generous spirit, and was a wonderful encourager.

All the end of classes each day, (at the NTM language institute that we attended in Missouri, USA), he would make the announcements. Larry was almost blind, so he had to hold his notes right up to his face in order to see them.

One day, after bringing us up-to-date with current events on campus, he led the singing of the little chorus:

    Lord give a vision, burning within,

    Of sinners dying, lost in their sin.

    We’ve a commission, Jesus to preach.

    I’ll do my part, Lord, others to reach.

It was a poignant moment, and I’m certain he approved the words of Helen Keller, who said: The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision!

Spot the difference!

A lot of Christians and churches can see, but they have no vision.

They may know that 2,500 tribes around the world have never once heard the Gospel in their own language, or that billions of people have never heard the good news of Christ in any language, yet they remain unmoved and apathetic. Transient, materialistic needs immediately receive their undivided attention, while eternal issues are ignored and dismissed.

Sight is a function of the eyes, but vision is a function of the heart and the mind. Sight is bound by time and distance; vision is bound only by the limitations of our perception of God, and who He is, and what He has done for us through His Son.

God has given His children the responsibility of going into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature, but we have become so caught up in local, passing things that we find every excuse in the book to ignore His clear command to go: ‘to the regions beyond’; ‘to the ends of the earth’; ‘into all the world’; or to the places where ‘Christ has not been named’.

Sight is seeing only what is right in front of us. But vision looks beyond all the distractions and the mundane and sees how God wants us to worship Him, and serve Him, and bring glory to His name.

‘Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people!’ the psalmist heralds forth, but we are far too engrossed in all our activities and busyness to hear it.

We live in an age when we can witness the carnage and cruelty on the other side of the world, in real time, and we reckon things are hopeless, but vision allows us to see beyond, and to view people for whom Christ died.

Grasshoppers in their sight!

Sight sees things as they are on the surface but vision sees deeper. It sees things as they really are, or as they could be. The 10 spies in Canaan saw only obstacles, and became downcast and fearful. They could see, but they were blind to the promises and power of God. Joshua and Caleb, on the other hand, had a clear vision of what God could and would do, and stepped out with purpose and with a focus on faith.

CS Lewis once said: every leaf of the New Testament rustles with an expectation of eternity. Sadly, many believers are so engrossed with this digital age that submission to the Word of God and living for eternal values counts for very little.

Sight refers to what our eyes capture, but our vision reveals whether or not our hearts have been captivated by an awesome God who reigns over heaven and earth.

May the Lord give us a vision, burning deep within. And may we respond in obedience and faith to His command and call to proclaim to the lost the unsearchable riches of Christ.