Tim Childs
With the national political conventions, “opportunity” is a word that has been bouncing around quite a bit over the past couple of weeks. In that context, it most often relates to the idea of having the chance to advance oneself, and thereby to improve one’s family, one’s community and nation.
When I think of the word “opportunity,” I think of one having an optimistic spirit filled with hope about what could be a potential reality. Each day that God allows you and me to open our eyes and get out of bed is a day filled with new opportunities, not to advance or promote ourselves, but to uphold and spread the body of Christ. Toward that end the apostle Paul wrote, “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men…” (Galatians 6:10).
Real, heaven-bound Christians, then, are ones who utilize their time to practice good rather than evil. Doing “good” is a wide umbrella that may involve a broad range of things we may (and are to) do to bless the lives of “all men” with whom we come in contact during the day. The possibilities are limitless.
The will to do good to one’s fellowman will be intertwined with such traits as courtesy, compassion, respect, thoughtfulness, kindness and love. These are godly qualities instilled in God’s children by the influence of the Spirit. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
Being held in the loving Father’s hand, you and I are to be a “vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21). Let us run to, not away from opportunity as the priest and Levite of Luke 10:30-37 did.
Tim Childs
https://www.gospelgazette.com/mp3/GGO201209.mp3