I was intrigued by the single line from the Max Lucado study book being used on Wednesday
nights, that Jesus “has something for us—new opportunities, new destinations, new chances
to show our faith in him.” Zig Ziglar tells the story of a boy that went with his mother to the old
general store. He liked to sneak away from his mother and when no one was looking he would
dip his finger into the large barrel of molasses. The storekeeper caught him doing this and
decided to teach the boy a lesson. He picked up the boy by his britches and dunked him
headfirst into the barrel of molasses and then set him out on the front porch of the store. But
instead of crying the boy was out there praying, “God, give me the tongue to equal
this opportunity.”

Maybe we need a similar prayer. Sometimes the opportunities we have are to do something
good for someone, oftentimes for a fellow Christian. Galatians 6:10 tells us “as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of
believers.” But other times, the opportunities we have are with non-Christians as we speak the
truth of the gospel.

Paul certainly understood the need to be alert to the chances to share our faith. In
Colossians 4, he asked for their prayers “that God may open a door for our message, so that
we may proclaim the mystery of Christ…” and “that I may proclaim it clearly…” (vss. 3-4) And
then he challenged them to, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders (non-believers);
make the most of every opportunity” (vs. 5). I think Paul was encouraging the Colossians and
us to not miss any chance of influencing others towards a decision for Christ. But that means
you need to choose your words wisely and “Let your conversation be always full of
grace, seasoned with salt (in a flavorful, palatable way), so that you may know how to answer
everyone.”

But as surely as opportunities come to us, they also go away. Someone once said
“Opportunities are like a fish on a hook. Haul them in when you get the chance before they
slip away.” That would seem to apply many years ago to the members of the First Baptist
Church in San Antonio, Texas. Their pastor at the time, Jimmy Allen, laments “We missed him.
Our chance to change things came and passed and we did not know it was there. A dark-
skinned little boy sat through Sunday School classes for three years, but someone missed him.
His name was Sirhan Sirhan (a Palestinian immigrant), and at age 24 he shot and killed Senator
Robert Kennedy. In a welter of words and the shudder of grief throughout our nation, the
persistent thought keeps recurring…someone missed him.”

Who knows what opportunities may come our way in the coming year. As we share our
message of hope and the love of Christ, it may not prevent a national tragedy, but it might
lead to something even more significant. We might be instrumental in impacting where an
eternal soul spends their eternity. So, in that moment when a door opens to share your Savior
with another, pray “God, give me the tongue to equal this opportunity” and just see what
happens!

In His Service, Jim

Scripture Spotlight Colossians 4:5 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the
most of every opportunity.”