12 12 07 What an Opportunity



“Brothers and sisters, if a person is discovered in some sin, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness. Pay close attention to yourselves, so that you are not tempted too. Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Let each one examine his own work. Then he can take pride in himself and not compare himself with someone else. For each one will carry his own load.
Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it. Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. For a person will reap what he sows, because the person who sows to his own flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith. “
(Galatians 6:1-10 NET Bible)

A friend of a former NFL star quarterback), appearing on ESPN, said he told the quarterback (I’m paraphrasing), “If Jesus is your Lord, and you really believe in him, and you’ve asked him for forgiveness, then you are forgiven. He’s fully forgiven you.” But then this well-intentioned and supportive friend went on to say that, if the former quarterback continues walking in righteousness, God also will return all the things taken away from the athlete – his NFL career, his million-dollar contracts, his star-quality – God would return it all to him two-fold. That would be a comforting and encouraging thought for anyone in the middle of a mess, particularly one as monumental and public as Vick’s current circumstances, but it’s not a biblical thought. In other words, God will forgive you for what you have done, but he most likely won’t remove the consequences of your actions.1

Christmas presents a wonderful opportunity to present the gift of forgiveness to many in our lives. People become a little more sentimental, bit more soft and fuzzy, and a shade more vulnerable than at other times of the year. Everyone is exposed the words of Christ and the Bible in the various traditional Christmas carols we hear over the air waves on the radio, in the malls, and at the various Christmas (sorry, Winter)celebrations. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY we have indeed, if we remain biblical in our expression of the Gospel and don’t fall for the politically correct gospel!

Many want forgiveness, but we don’t want to accept the consequences of our sin and the hurt we have caused. You see, God promises to forgive a repentant heart and remove the penalty of sin (spiritual death; eternal separation from God), but He does not guarantee to remove the pain, the suffering, and the consequences of our actions. He might, out of His grace and mercy, but it’s not guaranteed. We can never promise someone that God will restore all we once had or could have had if we had only followed His direction and obeyed His Words.

Sometimes we only get one chance at some things. As God forgives us, our desire should be simply to serve Him however He will allow us to serve. It is a privilege to serve the King and people. It is in our doing good that we honor Him and show others the Spirit of Christ alive within us. We need not be in the spotlight to honor God.

Personally, I pray that I will never make a fool of my Lord. If all I get to do is scrub the toilets in the church bathrooms, then I want to do it to honor God. I want that toilet to be the cleanest and freshest toilet on this earth! WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY! If He, by His grace, gives me an opportunity to share His love and forgiveness with someone, then I want to do so in a way that brings Him glory and honor. WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY!

We simply need to take every advantage we have to do good to all people, wherever we are in our relationship with the Lord. Are we in a position of public influence? Use every opportunity to show Christ! Are we serving in a quiet, unassuming position, with no fame or fortune? We too must use every opportunity to show Christ! God sees it all. He knows where we are and what we can do. We cannot grow weary in doing good, especially sharing the GOOD News of God’s love, the accurate and biblical version! WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY this Christmas Season!


1 Walker, Jon, http://www.purposedrivenlife.com, 12/11/2007, PurposeDrivenLife.com, Lake Forest, CA