Please forgive me for repeating one of my own favorite articles from last year. Since I wrote this article, my own personal ministry has taken some unexpected turns that have confirmed to me the absolute necessity of my willingness to allow my own vision to see into the future.

I was thinking today about great leaders and the way they affect the lives of people for generations. These effects are sometimes not evident until after the great leader is gone. That is very sad to me, because in my mind that leader never does get to see how it all turns out. I suppose I’m thinking of people like Abraham Lincoln who began the process of freeing the Blacks from slavery, yet never lived to see it happen. Or how about Martin Luther King. Incredible changes have taken place all over our country because of the stand he took and the leadership he possessed. Yet, he too was killed before he could see the fruits.

After all Jesus did on this Earth, he only had 11 men following him when it was all said and done. Then he dies and leaves his entire vision with eleven doubting, selfish, lying, fearful, faithless, cowards. “But for the Joy that was set before Him…

Think about that. At times he had thousands upon thousands following him. In the end however, there were only eleven. Most men would feel like a complete failure if after having a following of thousands they only had 11 left. I know I probably would. Yet Jesus seemed satisfied with that. He was content knowing that these eleven would do what he said to do and preach what He said to preach. Jesus was a leader who’s vision was larger than the man who possessed it. It was a vision that would outlive him by thousands of years.

I wonder how many leaders are willing to live and stand for something that they will never see the effects of. I wonder how many would give up right now if they found out that their vision and work would not be fulfilled until after they were dead. I’ll bet more than a few.

What if the young church I Pastor never grew any larger. How would I feel as a leader if after a lifetime of ministering, I never lived to see the fruits of it. That’s what happened to Jesus.

To be candid, I would feel like a complete failure if that happened… “If my vision was not larger than the results I saw in my lifetime.” You see friend, we have to see the little child in our church as a future Missionary. We have to see that young person as a future Pastor. The little girl who is so shy…I have to see her as being someone who will carry the message I preach to the next generation. My vision must be able to see into the future. It absolutely must be able to transcend not only my lifetime, but also my benefit and personal ambitions. I cannot Pastor my church solely with the goal that someday it will provide a full time salary for me. That would be a very small vision.

My church hears me preach… “One day our church will be in the thousands!”  Now I have to tell you, this kind of vision is so much bigger than I am. I’m not capable of that kind of leadership. I realize that. But my vision is bigger than Jim Smith. It is bigger than my abilities and my disabilities.

I cannot limit God’s work by my own limitations. I cannot place boundaries around the vision that God has given me. Boundaries like my own self worth, mental abilities or even personal spirituality.

The leader who’s vision can see into the future, possess the ability to effect the lives of people for generations.