Have you ever heard the teaching that you must have a vision for your life? Everyone wants to know what their unique purpose, their calling, their God-sized dream is. Many pastors and teachers have used Proverbs 29:18 to promote the idea that it is imperative to have a vision for your life or there will be dire consequences. I even recently heard a pastor (not mine) say that if you don’t have a vision for your life, you have to ask yourself whether you really have the Holy Spirit, whether you are truly a follower of Christ. This stunned me. This is a works-based gospel.
Growing up, my understanding of what a Christian should look like was based on what I thought we were supposed to avoid…drinking, smoking, drugs, sex before marriage, etc. This is legalism–when we try to behave in a certain way to earn our salvation and favor from God. As an adult, I think I’ve latched on to a different type of legalism, one I’ve heard called the dream-destiny burden. It’s the idea that I have to do something big for God, something impossible, something that takes an enormous leap of faith. I’ve bought into this idea that we should all have these grand visions for our lives that require us to do crazy things. And sometimes God does call us to do impossible things. But to put that burden on every Christian is not Biblical. It’s man’s idea, and I would even go so far as to say it comes from a place of pride, of wanting to be “famous” for God.
So, let’s go back to Proverbs 29:18 and talk about what it really means. You know, it’s rare that pastors these days actually preach out of the King James Version of the Bible, but this verse is an exception. I think it is because it is worded in such a way that they can use it for their purpose of helping people understand the need to have a vision for their life. So let’s look at the KJV text first, in its context. Usually, I like to look at the surrounding text, but here, just simply looking at the second part of the scripture (that we rarely hear when this verse is quoted) makes it clear that the first part does not mean if you don’t have a dream for your life you will die (spiritually, emotionally, or physically).
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Proverbs 29:18 KJV
The second part of this verse helps us understand that the first part is not talking about your dream for your life, but instead, it means revelation, as in God’s revelation to us in the law (or what we would today, call The Bible). Those who had that revelation and kept it would be happy. I was surprised when I studied the word “perish” in this context as well. It doesn’t necessarily mean death, but rather it means unrestrained, exposed, dismissed, refused, uncovered. Let me give you some other versions of this scripture to help you understand it better.
Without revelation people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be happy.
Proverbs 29:18 CSB
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is the one who keeps the law.
Proverbs 29:11 NASB
Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Proverbs 29:18 ESV
When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.
Proverbs 29:18 NLT
When God’s Word is removed from someone’s life or not properly taught in church, they lack the guidance that gives them boundaries for their lives. They “cast off restraint” or “run wild” and will likely end up suffering severe consequences. On the other hand, those who keep the law following God’s divine instruction set out for us in His Word will generally be blessed, even if the blessings look different from what we expect.
If you don’t have some grand vision for your life that requires you to do seemingly impossible things, it’s okay. God is more concerned that we follow the commands he has already given us in his word than whether we have grand dreams of doing something big for Him. He wants us to be faithful in the small things, the things right in front of us that when they are added up over time, are really not small at all. He wants us to love our neighbor, take care of those in need, serve our families, our churches, and our communities. He wants us to put the needs of others before our own.
My challenge to you today is to stop trying to figure out what big thing God has planned for your life. Be faithful in what he has put before you today, and He will lead you into all that He has for you. And if this opened your eyes to the fact that you don’t know how to understand scripture in context, subscribe below for a free Bible study guide that will help you as you try to study God’s Word for yourself!
Beth says
Love this so much! As someone who is trying to figure out next steps, the reminder to be faithful, patient and obedient is so very timely.