I haven't had the time to BLOG since last Friday and this morning I took a few extra minutes out of my routine to read Fridays post and some of the emails folks had sent me in response to it. That has led me to some other thoughts this morning.
Have you ever kicked yourself in the Seat of the Pants, because you missed a golden opportunity? I think all of us can relate here!
1. We missed an opportunity to make a Positive Difference in Someone’s Life.
2. We missed an opportunity to be a Blessing to Someone who was Hurting.
3. We missed an opportunity to get a certain job because we were not prepared.
4. We missed getting in on the next great stock tip because we were hesitant.
5. We missed an opportunity to serve another because we were too preoccupied.
Opportunity has certainly knocked on my door & found me so caught up in other things, that it slipped through my fingers? I’m convinced that it has happened to all of us!
Andy Stanley made the statement in his book “Visioneering”, “We don’t need to pray for more Miracles, we just need to be more sensitive to the opportunities that God brings our way.”
Why is it that some people seem to take advantage of the opportunities that come their way, while others allow opportunities to pass them by? It’s easy to say, “Well, they were just lucky.” I don’t think Luck has anything to do with it, they were just more sensitive to the opportunity!
I heard a story once about the Shoe salesman that went to Africa. He was there two weeks & he wrote his company back a letter saying, “Please bring me Home, nobody wears shoes over here.”
They sent another salesman in his place & in a couple of weeks, he sent a letter back to the company saying, “Please send all the shoes you can, because nobody where shoes here......”
I think sometimes I am guilty of being like that first salesman and don't even recognize that there is opportunity all around me! The Bible is full of missed opportunities.
1. Noah gave people a chance to get on the Ark. They laughed and went about their lives, until God closed the door and suddenly they had time. :-)
2. The People of Sodom & Gomorrah Had a Chance To Repent. But again they were too busy and not interested and suddenly that door was closed.
3. The story of the good Samaritan. Lots of chances for many people to do the right thing but again, missed opportunities for all but 1 person.
4. The Two Thieves on the Cross both Had an Opportunity. 1 just wanted his personal freedom and no desire to serve God and even took part in the ridicule of Jesus. The other thief saw Jesus for who he was and recognized him publicly and made the most of his opportunity.
So this morning I am thinking about all the MISSED OPPORTUNITIES I have had and I have decided that it is my job to focus and to reach out with a helping hand to others. I have also decided to attempt to NOT miss opportunities that are around me everyday. I think if we all try to be more sensitive to the opportunities to help others around us we could be happier and more content with the opportunities that we may have missed professionally, Or at least that is the VIEW FROM MY WINDOW.
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Your statement, "to be more sensitive to the opportunities to help others around us we could be happier and more content with the opportunities that we may have missed professionally" is exactly what Jesus wanted the disciples (and us-present day deciples) to learn the important concept of leading first as a servant. But as the disciples contemplated their various roles in the Lord's kingdom, their minds immediately focused on the positions of power and prestige each wanted to inherit. Each thought he should have the most important role. But the Lord interrupted thier argument with words intended to bring about a perspective that they had perhaps forgotten: Jesus ws the one who would "confer on them a kingdom." He was the one who held the power because God the Father had conferred it on him. And the power structure in the kingdom of God was radically different from what the world perceived as power. This should be for us, a wake up call. And although they may not have fully understood what they were being called to do in service to God and to others, we don't have that excuse. Have you ever found yourself in a situation in which you were vying with others for power? I have. Remember, in such situations, who really holds the power. It is God who ordains and confers leadership. And the most successful leaders are those people who are willing to share in God's kingdom values and act as servants to those who follow, or at least that is the VIEW FROM MY WINDOW.
ReplyDeletehey kevin, just catching up on the blogs. I know that it has been a while since i last blog. I enjoyed reading this very much. You are correct about missed opportunities lord knows that I have missed mine more than once. God can show you some opportunites if you let Him. Once a person allows God in their lives the opportunties are endless. Let God lead you in them. Great post.
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