There are times when we can be so utterly sure of a vision to make an impact in the world or to change the state of the church from her present imperfection. And yet, we tread along this path of endeavouring to bring change to the world only to discover that it was our very hearts and lives that God had set his eyes upon all along. To our horror, it was us whom he'd wanted to change before transforming the world.

A vision to impact the world or to bring change in the church invokes a sense of excitement and purpose. But in the same breath, it could also constitute no less than a symptomatic expression of a preoccupation with self-significance. To carry a vision from God could, in the final analysis, after all just be another expression of human vanity. It is as if being the carrier of a divine vision places one on a higher plane of significance than that of other insignificant mortals.

For this reason, it is crucial that God works on the life of the vision-carrier before he entrusts the vision into the hands of the carrier. So that it will transcend a mere gratification of the human hunger for significance and a self-defined purpose that is divinely affiliated. The heart of the vision-carrier needs to be pruned of all self-absorbtion, self-preoccupation, self-preservation, and self-defence. Then only can the sacredness of the divine vision remain untainted in the hands of its carrier. Otherwise, the integrity of the vision itself lies in question.

It is commonly said that one cannot carry a vision unless one was willing to die for it. Perhaps the scheme of God's purpose is such that one cannot carry a vision unless one was already dead to it. Then only can one be sure that the vision is the unreserved possession of God and not one's own to have and to hold. Then only will the sacredness of the vision remain untainted.

When is a man ready to carry a vision inspired of God? When he sees nothing else but the cross. When the cross is so meaningful that even the vision cannot match its significance. One should carry a divinely inspired vision only when the cross is the sole vision one can see.