That He May Run
Why Brands Must Be Understandable
“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” — Habakkuk 2:2 KJV
“Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.” — Habakkuk 2:2 AMPC
The vision is written so that it can be run with. Movement enables understanding. Habakkuk’s instruction tied clarity directly to action, establishing that vision must be grasped before it can be carried forward responsibly.
Running with vision is never meant to be rushed or instinctive. It’s dependent on whether those who encountered the vision understand what is being asked of them and how their participation fits within it. Without that understanding, movement is delayed or misdirected, regardless of sincerity.
Vision Explanation
Movement Requires Participation
Vision does not move simply because it exists. It exists because people recognize how they are meant to engage with it. Habakkuk’s vision assumed that readers (heralds) would do more than observe the vision but understand how essential it is to become faithful responders.
Participation becomes possible when people can locate themselves within the vision without needing constant explanation. This is not about role assignment, but about comprehension. People must be able to discern what the vision is working toward and how their effort contributes to that direction.
When this clarity is absent, movement slows, and people resist forward movement. Therefore, understanding is not an accessory to vision. It is the condition that allows vision to be carried forward by others.
Branding Interpretation
Why Understanding Enables Action
Brands function as invitations to participation. They invite people to build, support, volunteer, partner, advocate, or align their resources toward a shared purpose. That invitation fails when people cannot see how their involvement connects to the vision in a practical and intelligible way.
When a brand is understandable, people can assess whether their skills, energy, or resources belong within it. This assessment reduces hesitation because expectations are no longer ambiguous. Understanding replaces assumption, and confidence replaces uncertainty.
This is why understanding cannot be treated as a communication preference, but must be understood as a usable requirement. If people cannot determine how to act, the vision may be admired, but it will not be run with.
Vision Check: Does…
- Your message is clear without explanation
- Your website answers questions without confusion
- Your visuals support meaning instead of distracting from it
- Your language is consistent across platforms
- Your identity feels stable, not scattered
Branding does not persuade people to run. It removes the obstacles that prevent people from running.
When Vision Cannot Be Run With
Vision that is difficult to understand creates uncertainty and introduces delay, even among willing people. Over time, this delay weakens momentum. Responsibility is deferred and participation feels risky when direction is unclear. As a result, people wait for step-by-step instruction srather than moving with confidence. Progress, therefore, becomes dependent on explanation rather than structure.
At the same time, action taken without understanding often leads to misalignment. Effort is sincere, but direction becomes fragmented by individuals acting based on interpretation rather than shared clarity. Vision may still be spoken, but it no longer functions as a reliable guide for movement. An understandable vision removes barriers by clarifying what movement looks like in practice.
Making Vision Runnable Is an Act of Stewardship
To make vision runnable, the steward must consider how others will encounter it. This requires translating purpose into language that connects belief to behavior without over-prescribing every step.
Runnable vision shows people what action looks like while preserving room for faithful contribution. It provides enough clarity to guide movement without forcing uniformity.
When vision is understandable, people act without constant correction. They grasp the direction rather than relying on leadership. Movement sustained in this way is alignment. When understanding becomes a form of care, it honors those being invited to participate. It ensures that they are not asked to guess what faithfulness looks like.
Practical Application
What this means
Vision must be understandable enough for people to recognize their place within it. Without that recognition, movement remains hesitant and unpredictable.
What this looks like
When vision is understandable, people move with confidence. When it is not, clarity must be renegotiated before action can occur.
What to do this week
- Write a short description of your vision that explains what people are invited to do, not only what you believe.
- Identify one specific action someone could take after reading it.
- Review the language and remove any phrases that express intention without direction.
- Share this version with someone who could realistically participate in the work.
- Ask them whether they understand what action the vision invites them into and why it matters.
If the answer is unclear, the vision has not yet been made runnable.
Note: This exercise will not define every role, replace strategy or planning, nor guarantee engagement. It will reveal whether your vision is understandable enough support faithful movement.
A Word of Encouragement
Habakkuk’s instruction did not assume that vision would move on its own. It is assumed that movement requires clarity. If making vision understandable feels demanding, that demand reflects responsibility toward those you are inviting to participate. Clarity is about care and vision that can be run with guides that people can follow into production.
If your vision feels heavy to carry alone, it may be time to make it more understandable. And if you are ready to make the vision God has given you understandable and actionable, Design Miwa is here to help you steward that clarity with intention.