Grabbing the Opportunity - Martin Wiles

Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10 NLT

“Let’s go help our neighbors.”

A couple whom my wife and I had been friends with for some time invited us to go camping on their maiden journey. The husband had been in a wreck, had surgery, and missed work for a number of months. His workman’s compensation settlement gave them enough money to purchase a new camper and a truck to pull it with.

No sooner had we arrived than an elderly couple pulled into the campsite beside us. My friend, more perceptive than I am, noticed they were having trouble setting up their pop-up camper. He walked over, introduced himself, and helped them. The rest of us hung around our campsite.

Over the next several days, my friend visited with the husband, fished with him, and got to know his story. He and his wife once made a good living, only to lose their investments during an economic recession. Now they lived in an apartment and camped often. Neither enjoyed good health, and the husband was legally blind.

The morning my wife and I were scheduled to leave, the couple next door was also. That’s when my friend invited me to go help them break down their camper. Until this point, my camping involved only tents, so I knew nothing about preparing campers for the road. But I was ready to help … with instructions from my friend, of course. While helping, I discovered they were a nice couple. Before pulling out, the wife asked for our Facebook names. She wanted to stay connected. I felt as if I’d missed an opportunity to get to know some nice people.

Although I took advantage of the chance to do good, I wouldn’t have had my friend not made the suggestion. His initiative embarrassed me when I thought about it later. I wondered how many other opportunities I’d let slip by.

Opportunities abound, but I have to put on my spiritual glasses to see them. If I don’t see them—or if they’re not coming—all I have to do is ask God to send some and then to give me the spiritual eyesight to see them. Opportunities often provide conversation starters which can lead to friendships … or even salvation experiences. We never know what God can do with opportunities.

Ask God to send you opportunities to interact with others.

Prayer: Father, send us opportunities to do good to others around us.

Tweetable: Are you grabbing life's opportunities? 

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