john's blog

When it comes to vision, there are three types of people in the world:

1. Those With No Vision.
These are the people who have difficulty seeing what’s ahead of them. They live their lives from day to day doing the same thing over and over. They feel safe in their comfort zone and as much as possible avoid change.

I am not superstitious. I don’t believe in luck or fortune. I am not afraid of black cats, the number 13 (or any other number for that matter). I am happy to walk under ladders if I need to do so, and I don’t feel bad if I accidentally drop a mirror. I don’t have a rabbit’s foot (I prefer that rabbits keep them) or any other lucky charms. I don’t read horoscopes, I don’t burn incense, and I certainly don’t have anything in my house that resembles a Buddha or any other idol.

I love the fact that every 365 days we get a brand new beginning. We get a chance to leave old things behind us and start again with a fresh vision. Many people begin each year with new resolutions, promises they make that are broken within a few hours. Others are able to make positive changes because they understand what forces are involved in making positive change.

I have discovered that the formula for change looks something like this: Change = P+R+A+Y.

In the announcements leading up to the birth of Jesus, we are given glimpses as to what to expect from this monumental event. In Isaiah 9:6 we are told that He will have four names:  Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. In Matthew 1:21-23, we are told that He will have two other names: Jesus and Emmanuel. Jesus means Saviour, and Emmanuel means God with us.

In 1960, C S Lewis published his great work Mere Christianity, a masterpiece in Christian literature. In responding to people that saw Jesus as merely a great teacher on history’s stage, C S Lewis gives one of the greatest quotes about Jesus that was ever penned. It goes like this:

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said wouldn’t be a great moral teacher.