A Leader's Vision

"Leadership is influence" according to Randy Sims in His book The Greatest Among You. Everyone has influence, whether it's on many or a few, on public opinion or your younger sibling, there is always some measure of influence that you posses; it is unavoidable. You decide how you will influence people every day, for good or evil, wise or foolish. Even if the decision is unconscious, and you never thought of it that way before. Your decisions arise from a desire to "see" something happen: you make it happen. This desire is called Vision. All Leaders have some vision no matter where it came from or what it consists of. If they didn't have vision they wouldn't have a motivation to influence, and therefore wouldn't be leaders.
Vision is the ability to see what's not there, but not all leaders are gifted visionaries. A truly gifted visionary can see what's not there and form a plan to make it happen, often times when others would blow it off as an absurd whim and make nothing of it. Visionaries will pursue their goal by trying to convince the skeptical that their vision is plausible. However, visionaries do not always posses the resources or capacity to accomplish their goals and sometimes get discouraged from their visions by the rejection of skeptics.
Not all visions are of God or worthy of pursuit. But the best way to tell whether something is worth your time and effort is the Philippians 4:8 test:

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things."

If the vision matches up with this verse then you should pursue it.
A visionary possesses his gift from God, and should therefore pursue his visions as his calling to bring glory to God. To give up would not be right. First of all, if you're a visionary by this description: DON'T GIVE UP! Pursue those visions! I remind you of the possibility of the impossible in Philippians 4:13. Secondly to those of you who are not visionaries: do not be skeptics, but encouragers who are willing to provide the means for the execution of goals. Apply the Phil. 4:8 test to a vision and determine if you should join the effort and adopt it as your own; but "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might" (Ec. 9:10) and "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Cor. 10:31)

-Jonathan A. Bryce-<><

Comment Question: What are your visions?

Fiction and Fantasy

Imagination is a truly a wonderful gift from God. Contrary to the beliefs of a realist, fictional literature is quite useful. The point of fantasy is not only entertainment, but also the training of your mind for situations—learning lessons through the lives of people who do not exist. Naturally we cannot write anything that does not contain some amount of truth, no matter how twisted; therefore, even fiction is based largely on the truth of what actually exists.
For the reason above the Church “approved” and promoted fictional writing, in the past and even now, as an effective tool of discipleship because of the positive role models that could come ex nihilio (out of nothing) to help us live more like Christ. It is the abuse of this gift that causes Christians to look down upon fictional books, and this abuse quite possibly led to the belief that fiction is just another way to lie.
In response to the attitude that can be represented, “Anything fictional, being not entirely factual, is unprofitable,” I say: “You truly do not understand many things about reality because you refuse to experience the unreal.” The benefit depends greatly on the content of the work; but if the author has not abused his ability, and has done a moral and up-standing job, the possibilities are endless. Why? Because all things are possible with God: to comprehend the “impossible” is to have imagination. God is an unrealistic and incomprehensible reality. He’s supernatural; don’t put him in a box labeled “natural reality”.

-Jonathan-<><

Perspective

Perspective matters. How you look at things determines your perception of them. It's like star gazing: if you focus on only one star, you miss the constellation that it's a part of; and if you focus exclusively on one constellation, you miss how all of them fit together properly.

In life, our perspective affects our decisions to a very great extent. Say two men wish to buy the same car; one has a yearly salary of $20K and a mortgage on his house, and the other has $70K a year and absolutely no debt. The former would take the purchase much seriously than the latter because of their very different means, their very different perspectives. It is that way in every other aspect of life as well: different people have varying perspectives, and they choose different alternatives as a result.

It is no different in the Spiritual realm. Spiritually there are two categories you can focus on: the materials of this life or the eternals of the next. Materials will rust, rot, or otherwise decompose, even if they don't before you die, they cannot go with you: they become someone else's until they perish either before or at the end of time. Eternals will last forever, you can never loose them, but you may not be able to posses them in the short time that we are here. The Word Himself and our souls, the souls of mankind (in essence us), are the only things that last forever. Jesus said to store up treasures in heaven for an eternity of bliss; though we might struggle here, we are promised peace. What these "treasures" are is a great mystery, but we do know how to obtain them. It is an action-reward system, not involving salvation but rather rewards for a job well done. The "last" on earth shall be "first" in heaven, and vice versa. Obedience is the key that unlocks the eternal treasure chest.

A particular perspective is known as a paradigm. If you've been making bad decisions and want to change, but you're not sure how to, change your paradigm from the material to the eternal. It's difficult, but it is definitely worth it.

-Jonathan-<><

Comment question: "What paradigm changes have you experienced?"
Write them in the comments of this post.

True Beauty

True Beauty is more than just skin deep. The hottest person in school isn't necessarily beautiful. Beauty is more than just being pretty; it is the presence of what's on the inside (your character) that shines through the outside (physical appearance). Your looks don't determine your beauty, your heart does.

All the pressure you get to dress like your peers is nonsense; the way you dress doesn't determine your beauty either. In the end physical beauty will leave, whether sooner or later, but your character lasts a lifetime, and even an eternity.

Feel beautiful because you are, and God says you are, not because other say you are or not.

-Jonathan-<><

What are your thoughts?

The thoughts and ideas of others are sometimes the best encouragements that we can receive. Let's help each other think. Two heads are better than one are they not?

What are your thoughts? Write them in the comments of this post.

Making Good Time

Use your time wisely. After all, we only get so much of it in a lifetime. Is everything you do worth the investment of time you put into it? You may not like the amount of time you have or when you must spend it.

"So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All
we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

- J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring (Gandalf)

Spend time on things that last longer. Naturally you would rather spend time saving money for a more durable item that you can enjoy or use longer. According to Isaiah, two things last forever: the Word of God (Himself) and the souls of men. Invest time in the Word and the welfare of your fellow man. Redeem the time by investing it wisely.

-Jonathan-<><

The Word is Love

"In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." - John 1:1
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Since God is the Word and the Word became flesh, then the Word is Jesus Christ.

"He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." - 1 John 4:8

Therefore, since Jesus and God are one, Jesus is Love, and the Word is Love. How much more then should we love Him and one another?

-Jonathan-<><