What Do You See?

Letters to a State, Michigan Church of God

Volume 1, Number 1

Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at 19 months, was once asked if there was anything worse than having to live one’s life without sight. Her response came quickly: “Yes, being born with sight but having no vision.”

For many years one of my frequent “diagnostic questions” has been: “What do you see?”

• What do you see for your future?
• What do you see for your marriage?
• What do you see for your career?
• What do you see for your church?

There’s dozens of applications.

But what truly grieves me is that many (most?) see nothing or, if they do it is only vague generalities with little clarity or passion.

For them, life mostly just happens. They live from one Sunday to the next, from one pay check to the next, from one season to the next…and on it goes. There’s no agenda, no clear passion or purpose, no life-changing goals or noble God-given vision they, just live day-to-day hoping that things will work out.

But what’s even sadder is to observe someone who does have a plan. They see clearly what needs to be done. They have a sense of calling on their lives. But like a potential mother who is too weak to give birth to the child within her (Isaiah 3:3), they fail to exert the sustained disciplined effort required to bring forth the God-called vision and mission upon their lives.

In both cases, they are content to just let life happen.

It’s like working in an ice cream factory and never eating anything besides vanilla ice cream.

It’s like people living in a valley surrounded by beautiful mountains that have hidden meadows and peaks resplendent with wild flowers, waterfalls, exotic wildlife and majestic views but never witnessing them because they’re so busy just doing life that they never get around to making the trek.

I remember the first time I saw the ocean. Not just a picture of the ocean, no, the first time I experienced the ocean – the smell of saltwater, the feel of sand washing out from under my feet as the waves washed over them, the thunder of waves crashing up on the shore, the sun dipping beneath the distant horizon, the wind blowing in my hair, the sound of sea gulls…I never got over it.

In the same way, I’ve learned, once you’re truly captured by a vision of how things could be, you never get over it.

My dear Michigan COG family, we can live our life trying to not make waves, living and let live, narrowing down our horizon to survival mode–living a secure vanilla existence by not making waves.

But making no waves means that you never get to experience the joy of the ocean.

Yes, there are a lot worse things than being blind, it’s being able to see but having no vision.

All that to say, Sonja and I are so thankful to be in Michigan. I look forward to my “sight” improving as I spend time with you. But this I already see:

I see your life, ministry, and church getting better, stronger, and more fruitful because we are here. Not because we are anything special, but because I believe we were sent here as a part of God’s plan for our lives and yours. We are here on purpose and for a purpose. It may be a small key, but I do believe that we hold a key that will open a door of God’s blessing and favor upon the Church of God in Michigan that would not have opened if we had not come.

Like the Scout Motto: It is my determined goal to leave the campsite better than I found it.

I pledge to you my best effort as we climb the mountain together, make waves together, and hopefully eat some amazing ice cream together along the way.

Let me close with this…

Anthony Browne, the private secretary for Winston Churchill during his second term as Prime Minister recounts one morning when the then 79 year old Churchill asked, “Has anything happened overnight?”

Browne replied, “No Sir.”

Browne then records that Churchill, with a twinkle in his eye, said: “Then let’s make something happen!”

Michigan Church of God, together, let’s make something happen!

I see better days ahead as we do.

Blessings to you, David L. Kemp
Administrative Bishop for the Church of God in Michigan

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash