I missed the earlier 3 question episode, but wonder if I could throw another kink into the contemplation of Clarity. Could clarity be more than being firm in what you believe and desire as the business man suggested? Could it be that clarity is actually a side effect of understanding the truth of what life is actually about? I would like to suggest that Clarity comes from someone’s world view. In an eternal sense it should be based upon God’s Word & work through the Holy Spirit, but even an evolutionist could have even a degree of clarity when he answers the ultimate set of questions that deal with the meaning, origin of life and purpose for life if we were to define clarity under the business man’s definition. I believe that clarity is a side effect of answering those ultimate questions in such as way to be logically possible. I am not saying that their answers are correct or are not susceptible to criticisms, but are sufficient in answering the questions in a satisfactory manner in which brings clarity.
Are there degrees of clarity in the Christian life? I believe so. It’s like having degrees of sight. Without my contacts you will look blurry, but with the help of lenses life comes into focus. God becomes my lenses and reveals to me what He wants me to see. Sometimes we turn a “blind eye” toward His truth and ultimately we will not see clearly until the end of this age. Does this excuse us from seeking clarity? That would be the same as saying, “Since I cannot know everything I won’t even try to know anything.” It all sounds so philosophical, but boiled down the more we see with what’s right about Him, truth, and what’s wrong about us, sin-blindness to it, the more clarity we will through Him. The more he comes into focus in our minds and hearts the more clear we will be. Call it authentic, real or transparent, but the bottom line is that you are firm in who rules your life and what life is for.

I do think that Mike is right when he says that ""clarity" has become associated with legalistic, fundamentalist, over-defined, rigid, narrow-minded, hyper-structured definition."

However, that's not what I meant. At least not in total.

I think you're onto something with the artistic quote you included. Artists at first learn the basics, then they play the basics better and better. Practice makes perfect. But at some point, the art becomes less about the playing of particular notes or painting of particular colors and more about the expression of the artist--an extension of character--a natural outgrowth of who the artist has become.

So it is with apprentices of Jesus. We begin with guidelines of some sort (called purpose statements, core values and vision plans by our commerce/consumer-driven culture) but at some point we stop "doing" the particular purposes and begin "being" artisans of Jesus-like character. We no longer do good deeds, we are a good deed, an epic masterpiece of God's to the world.

Mike said "We, as leaders still need to strive for clarity. Clarity, of course, only can truly come from personal clarity of purpose and mission, of faith in Jesus with authentic messiness..." Personally, I believe that the authentic clarity worth striving for is integrity (wholeness) of character, and it can exist no matter how unclear a purpose or mission might be. Purposes and missions often come and go, but integrity of character, what Thomas of Kempis called the imitation of Christ, is what truly draws people to us.

Am inclined to disagree about the Hokey Pokey "put your whole self in" That's what it's all about.