“Time has no divisions to mark its passage; there is never a thunder-storm or blare of trumpets to announce the beginning of a new month or year. Even when a new century begins it is only we mortals who ring bells and fire off pistols” says Thomas Mann. New Year is always a time when there is plenty of optimism in the air as each of us feel like we are beginning a new chapter in our life’s journey. Though for many of us the optimism only lasts for a few days before we get back into the exact same routine and rut of life as we were a few days ago. Every new day is a fresh new opportunity given by God to us so that we can do something significant, something that matters in eternity.
An ancient Greek statue depicted a man with wings on his feet, large locks of hair on the front of his head, and no hair at all on the back. Beneath was the inscription: • What is thy name? My name is Opportunity. • Why hast thou wings on thy feet? That I may fly away swiftly. • Why hast thou a great forelock? That men may seize me when I come, you seldom recognize me when I come to you. • Why art thou bald in back? That when I am gone by, none can lay hold of me.
New Year is always a time when there is plenty of optimism in the air as each of us feel like we are beginning a new chapter in our life’s journey.
The Chinese character that is usually translated by the English word “crisis” is actually made up of two components – one character that means “dangerous” and the other that means “opportunity.” Our idea that we will ever come across risk-free opportunities is purely an illusion. In life every opportunity comes with a challenge, a risk to be taken, some stakes on line. Earl Nightingale once said “Wherever there is danger, there lurks opportunity; whenever there is opportunity, there lurks danger. The two are inseparable, they go together.”
Mark Twain once said “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” It is funny how almost all of us could look back and see all the wonderful opportunities we missed, but we seldom recognize them when we are actually facing them.
The apostle Paul writes in Eph 5:15-16 “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil”. The Greek word used here to refer to the word opportunity is Kairos. Paul is not merely talking about not wasting our minutes/hours, but is specifically commanding us to make the best use of our God given opportunities. The Greek word Chronos refers to chronological time, the clock time or calendar time, Kairos refers to a specific and often predetermined period, the moment when circumstances are most suitable, the “ripe” moment. Thus it refers to a time space filled with all kinds of possibilities which are called opportunities.
I believe God gives us many opportunities in life; every new day is filled with many possibilities and opportunities. However, many of us are oblivious to opportunities when they are at hand. Mark Twain once said “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” It is funny how almost all of us could look back and see all the wonderful opportunities we missed, but we seldom recognize them when we are actually facing them. Describing this nature of opportunity William A Ward says “Opportunity is often difficult to recognize; we usually expect it to beckon us with beepers and billboards.” It is not only true that opportunities are hidden and disguised in the most unsuspecting situations, but it is also true that often we are not ready to grab an opportunity when it comes. Many of us start equipping ourselves only after making certain that the opportunity is a good one, but here is the problem, opportunities do not give us enough time to brush up our skills. Benjamin Disraeli said “The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.”
In John 4:35 Jesus says “Do you not say ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” When the fields are ready for harvest, the reapers should be ready and equipped to reap the harvest. If the workers are not diligent, they could ruin a great harvest by just not acting on time. In the parable of the talents (Matt 25), while the two guys went out and invested their talents, the third guy was too cautious, he was more concerned about the security and safety of the one talent he had and therefore he buried it. He was happy because he did not lose it; his master was angry because he did not invest it. The main purpose of our life is not to preserve it in safety, but to invest it wisely for God’s kingdom. In the words of Helen Keller “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature…life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”
He was happy because he did not lose it; his master was angry because he did not invest it. The main purpose of our life is not to preserve it in safety, but to invest it wisely for God’s kingdom.
– – Author: Rev. Francis Burgula – –
