Visionary Leadership (5)
But let the righteous be glad;
Let them rejoice before God;
Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly. Psalm 68.3
Elements of an effective vision
It’s clear, even from a casual reading of Psalm 68, that David was a master at casting vision.
He focused his vision on God and His greatness, and all the great and mighty things God had done for His people in the past. He isolated a particular project—building the temple—and set that squarely down within the covenant purposes of God. He led the people to see the project as God did, according to His Word, and He showed them all the benefits that would accrue to them and to the nations as this project came to completion.
David captured the minds of the people of Israel. He placed a vision in their thinking that undoubtedly became a topic of much animated conversation as people talked together throughout the land. He gave them words to use in their conversations and worship, the words of Psalm 68, so that they had something clear and concrete to wrap their minds around as they considered what their part in this project must be.
But David didn’t stop with informing the minds of God’s people. He drove straight to the hearts, stimulating their affections in powerful ways, so that they would desire this vision and project enough to do whatever was required to bring it to pass.
Let’s take a closer look.
A wide range of affections
David understood what his son Solomon would insist on in Proverbs 4.23: All the great issues of life proceed from the heart. Unless the hearts of people are fully and appropriately engaged, any action they may take toward realizing a vision will be less than whole-hearted and, therefore, not likely to last.
David drove his vision into the hearts of his people as surely as Peter drove the Word of God into his hearers on that first Christian Pentecost. The people of Israel were “stabbed in their hearts” as David held out God’s vision for them, so much so that they could not not respond to his call.
David held out the promise of much rejoicing—of joy and gladness—to the people of Israel. Who doesn’t get charged up about that? As God comes to dwell among His people, they would rejoice and sing and praise the LORD and be filled with gladness in His Presence (vv. 3, 4). Few will take up the challenge of a merely intellectual vision—a goal of more members or new buildings or exciting new programs. But show them, and persuade them, that your vision will fill them with rejoicing and praise and thanksgiving, and you’ll begin to win them to it. This is what all people want because this is what God wants for all people.
Notice also that David encouraged the people that God’s coming to dwell among them would give them new boldness to engage their enemies and proclaim the greatness of the Lord (vv. 12, 20-23). David did not call the people to be courageous; he promised them that, once the temple was finished and God had filled it with His glorious Presence, they would simply be bolder by His being among them. The Presence and power of the living God give us the power and boldness we need for faithful witness-bearing (Acts 1.8).
Finally, we note David’s appeal to personal significance, the sense of importance, that I matter and have something to contribute to God’s work and His Kingdom. David encouraged the people to see themselves as abundantly blessed with many gifts from God. But he also led them to think they would be able to come into the very Presence of God, with whatever their gifts, offerings, or possessions might be, however great or small, and to present these to God for His pleasure and purposes (v. 18).
Everyone had something to give, David encouraged them to see, because everyone was being abundantly blessed by God. And the record, as we have seen, shows that the people, embracing David’s vision, rallied to that sense of significance and gave abundantly for the work.
Minds and hearts
Visionary leaders know they have to capture the minds—the imaginations and understanding—of those they are seeking to lead to greater heights of work and achievement for the Lord. They need to paint large, bold pictures of what God is planning to do through them, and to communicate that vision over and over and over, so that it becomes fixed in the minds of the people, as evidenced by their energy and consistency in doing the work of the Lord.
But visionary leaders also need to reach the hearts of the people as well, to stimulate their affections, shape their desires and longings, and help them re-order their priorities in line with the promised joy of the Lord.
David did this amazingly well, and all he was doing was building a temple. We are called to join Christ in building His temple, His nation, His Body, the salt, light, and leaven of the world—His Church! The prospect is exciting as a whole and promising for each individual who embraces it. But we must help God’s people desire Him and His work by reaching their hearts with the prospect of abundant good to be realized from our obedience. Thus God appeals to His people, and thus also must visionary leaders today.
For reflection
1. What is joy? Why is this such a powerful affection? How does joy figure into your church’s vision?
2. What do you have to offer the Lord for building His Church—your church?
3. Do you think the people in your church have a good grasp of God’s vision for the church? Why or why not?
Next steps—Demonstration: How will you serve God today? Do you expect Him to be present with you? To bring you into His joy? How should you prepare for these opportunities?
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
This week: Our Read Moore podcast continues an extensive look at the Kingdom of God from our book, The Kingdom Turn. In our Crosfigell teaching letter, we are looking at the state of pastors and churches during the period of the Celtic Revival, using contemporary witnesses. And in our Scriptorium column we are studying the sermon on the mount. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
