1. A telescopic vision

If we just look
By José Bernardo

Anticipation is essential for survival. Every living being has some ability to anticipate what is coming and their lives depend on it. For instance, it is possible to use a telescope to see what is happening from a distance. In doing so, the traveler preview the future and would prepare in advance for what will be found and get the best results. This material experience can be virtually reproduced in business or ministry, and this is what we call a tactical vision. Let’s see how it works.

Galileo Galilei displaying his telescope, H. J. Detouche, 1754

How amazing to see the invisible, to comprehend the incomprehensible, to shorten distances, to find a completely new world. Looking through a telescope leads to a whole new perspective. We are able to anticipate upcoming events, to know in advance things that we will encounter in the future. The same idea applies to tactical vision, either in business or in ministry. Spiritually, our telescope is the divine revelation. We can’t invent a vision; unless we are eluded and deceived, chances are we won’t see what we want to see. We see what the Lord says; we see what he is doing. We perceive his words and actions and they tell us what to expect. This is what may be called ‘the manifest will of God’, our telescopic vision. Looking through it we can be prepared for the future.

This is how a telescope works: the light reflected by objects at a distance enters the larger extremity. Then, the light is concentrated and focused until the observer can see the object closer through the narrow extremity. When we point our spiritual telescope, we also will see a vision that goes from a broad to a concentrated idea. The light in the larger extremity is the Word of God. When it concentrates, we see children and youth receiving the Word of God. At the next stage, we see the transformation of lives and finally, at the closest extremity, there is a clear image of the urgency for the life transformation of children by giving them the Word of God.

If we just look, this is what we’ll see. However, if we don’t have the spiritual telescope, we will ignore what is coming ahead, expending our resources with what is habitual, never being prepared for the future. A telescopic vision is a new vision. Upon receiving it, we need to interpret what this vision means for the present and decide what to do now about the future. While walking for the future, we need to keep that vision in mind. We also have the responsibility to communicate the vision to our disciples, co-workers and partners, people who we want to see preparing alongside us for what we anticipate. Point your spiritual telescope and observe!

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Jose Bernardo is the OneHope vice-president for lusophone countries. OneHope is a global agency of the Bible that has worked in 145 countries giving the Word of God to every child.