Risky opportunities

October 25, 2007

By William E. Richardson

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19, NKJV).

We all regret things we have done, but what about things we could have done, but didn’t?

Some of the greatest opportunities come knocking in the guise of a risky venture. Too often, we play it safe. We miss the opportunity. Stories abound about people who didn’t get in on the ground level of upstart companies because they doubted they would survive. Today those companies are household names.

I’ve heard people lament they didn’t give more money to missions, didn’t become involved in a service opportunity, or resisted the Holy Spirit’s prompting to witness to someone.

How do we prevent regret over lost opportunities? It begins by rearranging the letters of the word “regret.” Most of the letters can be reshuffled to make the word “greet.” When we greet some of those risky-looking opportunities, we’ll later have less regret.

Every year God sends thousands of opportunities our way, benefits for His followers. But we may hear their knock as too unfamiliar and think they’re an unsafe venture rather than what they really are — a gift from God.

If we would greet new opportunities rather than yell through the door for them to go away, we’d later be glad we were hospitable.

It takes a willingness to risk. Of course, prayer should precede either welcoming or rejecting a knock. God isn’t the only one who sends us opportunities. Yet everyone living a life committed to serving God can anticipate that He is constantly sending blessings.

If you hear a knock and see a stranger, ask God some questions. “Is this an opportunity You’re sending my way? Is this the answer to a prayer I’ve prayed? Will this lead toward fulfilling a dream You’ve given me?”

Today, one or more opportunities will come knocking. How will you answer the knock? Will you recognize the devil trying to trick you and reject it? Will you see God trying to load your life with more benefits and welcome it?

Hopefully you won’t simply refuse to risk, and later regret it.

William E. Richardson is senior pastor of Afton (Iowa) Assembly of God.