Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.
“Make the most of every opportunity.” As I reflect back on the day each night, I would consider it a great accomplishment if I could look back and say that I made the MOST out of EVERY opportunity. In order to do that I need to first, RECOGNIZE the opportunity. Recognizing every opportunity comes from being in close fellowship with God and keeping a watchful eye and being quiet and open enough to hear God’s still, small voice.
Once I recognize the opportunity I need to take action. I need to be strategic, and make sure I make the MOST of it. If I only have a short time, I need to choose my words and actions very carefully. If I have a longer time, I need to make sure I don’t talk so much that I say something stupid.
I need to also recognize the importance of every opportunity. I recently went to a meeting of JR High leaders and I noticed that all three of the boys I had in my 5th grade Sunday school many years back, that me and my co-leaders nicknamed the “three L’s” had become Jr. High leaders as they moved into high school. Each of the had an “L” in the first letter of their name, and if you had all three of them at once, you were in BIG trouble.
None of us leaders in that 5th grade Sunday school would ever have believed that all three “L’s” would grow up to want to contribute and build into the lives of other kids. I am not trying to say that our leadership in the 5th grade with them was the sole cause of the decisions they made, but I know for sure it was a part of the process. We contributed to their development, in a small but meaningful way. It is one area that I can say I tried to make the most of the opportunity to spend an hour with those kids every week.
God can take the little we have to offer, the two fish and 5 loaves, and turn it into amazing things with his power!
