LESSONS FROM VISION (3)
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When my phone rang that evening, it was one of the ladies in the church at the end of the line. She said to me, “Pastor, come and see what your church member has done to me”. She had an issue with another person in the church.
When she came, that was the first thing that I corrected but I already knew that her heart was not with us on the journey of vision.
There will be two categories of people that will be with you at various phases of the Vision:
First, those in the order of Cyrus. They are borrowed vessels. God will use them to add value to what you do for a season. They will give their best for that season. They will leave you when their season is up.
Do not get offended at them. Some will give you a one-time heavy financial support. If you try and ask them a second time, you will meet a brick wall and then wonder what happened. They are in the order of Cyrus. They are only with you for a season.
Something will happen that will take a Cyrus from you. Some of them will come in and bring a lot of energy into the work. Before you blink, they develop a funny attitude. They may leave you when it is most critical. Wave them bye. Love them still. Do not get offended.
The second will come in the order of Esther. They are your “If I perish, I perish” set of people. They are not borrowed vessels. They are processed vessels. They are prepared for such a time as you are in. They step up their game in tough times.
People in the Esther category may pick up slowly but they will walk the long haul with you. They will confront things that will bury the vision. They have a heart for you and the vision. They give their all. Do not take them for granted. They will accept and believe in you. Your weakness is not a point of accusation for them. They cover the exposed parts well.
Do not abandon your Esther because you have a Cyrus. You would have exchanged a fading smoke with a lump of live coal. Live coal will light others.
On the journey of vision, focus on building people who are in the process rather than looking for finished products.
As a pastor, teach the poor until they become rich rather than chasing the rich around. You will be taken for granted. The former will do more for the work than the latter.
Invest and train the weak until they become strong. Do not abandon the weak ones because you saw a strong person who was trained by another. You will soon be disappointed.
Do not run after Cyruses at the expense of your Esther. Your Esther may not look like it now but be patient and invest in them. They will carry the heart for the vision.
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