Do you look for opportune moments and use clear examples to communicate your vision? (191-5)

Effective leaders look for opportune moments and use clear examples to communicate their vision. Read Matthew 9:35-38.

As Jesus expanded His ministry He saw clearly the spiritual condition of the everyday citizen in Israel. He saw the feeling of helplessness they had in their situation, their lack of hope without a deep faith in God, and their missing core truth that relationship and commitment to God is the only answer to a peace-filled life. Jesus used the example of a shepherd caring for his sheep and harvesters in a field to illustrate His single, clear vision for His followers.

Communicating vision can be tricky. A holistic vision can have many elements that each require goals, budgets and timelines but leaders err if they focus on each element as separate visions instead of many parts of one larger, more comprehensive vision. Jesus could have focused on the emotional, physical or spiritual needs of the people separately but He saw all these needs tied together by the lack of vision to have relationship with God. Effective leaders take time to refine the many facets of a vision into one clear, easily understood, motivating vision.

Once the vision is clear, it must be clearly communicated in a language the team can easily understand. Jesus lived in an agrarian society so the examples of a shepherd’s love for his flock and fields ready for harvest were a natural part of their life and the many layers of these jobs were easily understood by virtually every listener. Jesus not only focused on a single vision but He found a way to communicate that vision that enabled His team to understand it, internalize it, and embrace it. The wise, effective leader looks for opportune moments and clear examples to communicate the vision.

Nehemiah 2:17-18 “Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.”