Opportunity Knocks

Galatians 6:9-10 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

If you’ve watched the news recently, it seems the word of the hour is crisis. It seems everywhere we turn we hear it — it’s a “financial crisis”, a “political crisis” — international, environmental, spiritual crisis!

The Chinese word for crisis is composed of two symbols. They represent two words: danger and opportunity.  I like that. I look for the silver lining in every situation; it’s the same thing. Since I completely believe God is in control, I believe He has a purpose when He allows things that appear to be a crisis here on earth. IF He allows it, there is a purpose, His purpose, at play and something about it will be to His greater good. Our finite minds may not be able to comprehend and/or understand but there is always a reason. So, all that said, I look for a silver lining, something of opportunity for good to come from each apparent crisis.

If you stop to really think about it, none of our modern day crises are really new. The Old Testament is riddled with stories of what we would consider tragic crises. Entire cities wiped out…sound familiar? How about countries dealing with famine? Drought? Disease? Nation invading nation? Family members betraying one another?

Ecclesiastes 1:4-14 (NIV) 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time. 11 There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.

It has always been human nature, I dare say, to focus on that which affects us personally. With world communication so instantaneous, we have access to knowledge of crises around the world where once people did not but crisis itself is not new. Television coverage of one incident played ad nausea imprints tragedy on our minds and we are spoon-fed terror and fear daily. People of faith talk about it, people without faith talk about it; I personally do not know how people without God make it.

Opportunity to learn and grow from crises is not new either. Prophets of old foretold of crises to come if people did not return to God and His ways. The Bible also tells stories of those that did return to Him and those that did not. The endings were vastly different then just as they are today.

Believers, we are in a time when most of the world turns their backs on God’s ways. We as Believers have an opportunity to use this time to bring as many souls as possible back to the Lord through witnessing, evangelism, walking out our faith publicly, and speaking out against the hard-hearted ways of the world among others. Let’s prepare ourselves to be a means of peace and light and strength to those who are afraid. When we’re in the midst of all these crises, it’s tempting to focus on the danger. While it’s important to be aware of the danger, 

we must be even more keenly aware of the opportunities it brings!

God is allowing this world to be shaken a little today. Let’s not grow weary in well doing by taking the opportunity to share Jesus with others so they know and accept Him as their Lord.