In our continuing study of the character of Kingdom royalty we come to Foresight. Not the ability to see the future or have a premonition, but the ability to take information and plan accordingly. In business it’s called vision, and in the Bible too: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29.18, KJV). Foresight, or vision, often leads one to clean direction as in 1 Chronicles 12.32: “From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” So foresight is the art of taking information, understanding the variables and leading in a clear direction.

Christians are not faced with the challenges of running a kingdom like the Old Testament royals, but need the skill of foresight to lead their life, their family, and even their church into a future that glorifies God and fulfills the mission of taking the gospel to the world. How many of us have a plan for the future that includes our relationship with God, spiritual growth and evangelism?

Take for example our career decisions. Do we consider how a job will influence those three areas of life before accepting the position? I’m not saying we all have to go overboard with appearances, like the Pharisees did. God made each of us with different gifts, skills and personalities so that all walks of life might have a voice to bring them the gospel. Some are better at financing missionaries in foreign lands than they are at being one. Some are naturals at working the gospel into group discussions, others are better with one-on-one conversations. The point isn’t that we should all behave the same, the point is that we all should be striving to advance the kingdom in each of our life decisions.

Watching HGTV shows like House Hunters can be an entertaining way to relax, and you can learn a lot about human nature. Some people wanted to live closer to work or family or a favorite vacation destination, but never a person who wanted to move closer to their church. Some wanted a bigger yard for their kids, an extra room for a home office, and even a couple who wanted hardwood floors that matched the color of their dog’s hair but never someone who desired an open concept home because they plan to host a Bible study. Some have chosen a neighborhood because it’s where they grew up or its close to friends or family or because it has a great school system but never because the neighborhood needs the light God could bring from their testimony. Buying a home is a big life decision, and rarely is our spiritual growth or the advancement of God’s kingdom considered before making the purchase.

A good prince or princess of the kingdom make their decisions with an eye toward the future. They gather the data they can regarding their decision, and make a decision based on what will best serve God rather than themselves. Only an evil ruler looks to satisfying his own needs before the needs of his people and the future of his kingdom. Today is the day to decide which kind of royal you want to be. If it a good one, take out a sheet of paper and divide it into three columns. Label the columns “Relationship with God”, “Spiritual Growth” and “Evangelism”. Take a few minutes to filter the decision you are currently making through each of these three concepts, and make a decision that works best for these three activities. Try it and see just how much more meaningful your life with God can be.