“I need BIGNESS of vision!” Those are the words that came to me as I was resting for a few more minutes one morning before I got up last week. Our family is big on grammar, so I was trying to
reword it to myself in a more proper format, but nothing expressed what I was feeling quite like BIGNESS of vision. Developing BIGNESS of vision takes some effort, because you have to stop
and think: think differently, think uncomfortably big, think ridiculously big, stretch yourself to try to think limitlessly like God does.
I’m a very frugal person. I enjoy shopping in our local thrift store and finding useful things for a fraction of their original price. I think it’s fun comparing prices and finding the best buy that will
allow me to pack more in the deep freeze for my family. When I purchase an $80 outfit for $20, I walk around with a little inward grin, enjoying both the outfit and the great deal I got! There’s
value in that.
But when it comes to vision, I don’t need thrifty vision; thrifty vision is just small or wishful thinking. Small thinking is usually manageable. That means that if I work hard enough, borrow
enough, if I make good enough choices…if I’m thrifty enough…I can see how I can get this done. Wishful thinking is just…wishful. Wouldn’t it be awesome IF…I would just love to see…but that’s
where it ends, there is no vision beyond that. No belief that it could actually ever be true for me.
The children of Israel struggled with frugal thinking. Every time they encountered a situation that required faith, their frugal thinking kicked in. On the border of the promised land, when the
spies returned, they expressed small wishful thinking. “Yes” they agreed, it’s a good land just like God said. “It’s flowing with milk and honey,” but there was no bigness of vision, nothing that could see God giving them that land. In fact, they became offended that anyone had dared to raise their hopes that there might be something for them other than the manageable slavery they had endured for centuries. It wasn’t so bad…if you just make the bricks and do what they ask and give up your baby boys if they ask you to, they’ll let you grow onions and garlic and leeks in the
backyard to really spice up that pot of stew! That’s frugal thinking at its best. (Numbers 13)
Get rid of thrifty vision! Move your thinking from that small, wishful thinking to BIGNESS of vision, for your friends, for yourself, for your city, for your family. Close your eyes and see
the unseen. See life returning to dead situations. See strength instead of weakness. Move into aggressive, territory-taking, BIG thinking. Why NOT think big? Our Father God is a big thinker
and we are His offspring. It’s in our spiritual DNA!
- Melody Davis