CBC Worship Ministries: Devotional Blog

Today I watched a lot of television. Well, let's just say that the TV was on for a very long time. Why? It is January 20th, Inauguration Day. I couldn't help but be awestruck by the sight of literally hundreds of thousands of people waving American flags as our new president was sworn into office. I know that in my lifetime I've never witnessed such a public display of unity by so many people in one place. There seem to be many reasons why this was such a historic event in our history - but one reason that seems to rise above the others is that the goal of equal opportunity for all Americans has finally come to fruition. President Obama has eloquently articulated this theme throughout his candidacy, and now seems to be heralding the same thing in the infancy of his presidency.

It was remarkable to me that my Scripture reading today landed me in Colossians 4, where Paul makes a very important and relevant comment - he says, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity." (vs5)

Interesting! I had to stop and meditate on that for a few moments. Paul's comment elicited some questions of my own that I needed to consider - such as:

What opportunities has God brought my way?
How ready am I to be in a position to act on the opportunity?
How willing am I to follow up on the opportunity?
How much will this opportunity cost me in terms of time, commitment, and resources?

I can imagine a medical doctor having a quiet dinner with his wife. Suddenly, a man at the next table grabs his chest, falls off his chair and goes unconscious on the floor while nearby diners gasp in surprise and horror. In that moment that doctor has a unique opportunity. Years of training, schooling, and internships have prepared him. Hours upon hours of practical experience have readied him. A combination of head knowledge and hands-on experience qualify him to take control of the situation and perform the necessary procedures to save the man's life. The doctor is presented with a unique opportunity and rises to the occasion.

How about us believers? Are we making the most of every opportunity? As I see it, there are three things each of us needs to do to accomplish this. First, we need to be able to recognize the opportunities. To do this we simply need to ask God to reveal them to us. I sometimes think that we miss the opportunities because we haven't asked God to show them to us. Second, we need to be prepared to take advantage of the opportunity. That means that we ourselves need to have an answer for those that ask. That we need to be prepared spiritually and intellectually when the opportunity presents itself. If the doctor in the example above was not prepared, he would probably do more harm than good by attempting to treat the sick man. Third, we need to be able to follow through on the opportunity. Not just recognize it but ACT on it.

How about you? Are you making the most of every opportunity? I wonder if God has a long, long list of all of our missed opportunities. I hope not. I do hope you are looking for every opportunity to share the love of Christ with those around you at work, in your neighborhood, in your community, and yes, especially in your home.

Two words in closing: BE READY!