The Road

Three quotes that are rattling around in my head.

There is no freeway to the future. No paved highway from here to tomorrow. There is only wilderness. Only uncertain terrain. There are no road maps. No signposts. So pioneering leaders rely upon a compass and a dream.  (James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner. The Leadership Challenge as published in Church Leadership by Lovett Weems).

In church a couple of Sundays ago, during the Advent candle lighting, one of the readings said something like: The road to the kingdom is always under construction, per John the Baptist.

During our Academy in October, one of the attendees said, "without vision, there is no hope."

I think, as churches, and as people, we have a desire to make a difference.  To work for God's kingdom.  And yet, sometimes I think we feel like we are stuck in a rut, or moving backwards instead of forwards.  These quotes work together to say to me that without a vision, our churches have no hope of making a difference.  Those who depend on us may have no hope in their lives.  And yet, while we speak of vision, we are sometimes unwilling to pave the path forward.  Having a vision requires hard work and discernment.  The way forward is not obvious, and to find it requires our effort as construction workers.

Do we  have enough hope to search for the vision and to pave the road as we go? Will we leave those who need us hopeless?