Opportunities

Opportunities

Paulette Fraticelli

(Prov 10:5 GNB) A sensible person gathers the crops when they are ready; it is a disgrace to sleep through the time of harvest.

This message flows in the same vein as yesterday's, where Solomon told us that work is honorable. He made it clear that laziness opens the door to poverty and diligence opens the door to riches. In this text he gives solid counsel about the timing of work. Although we must all work, it is neither reasonable nor sensible to work all the time.
We must tap into the rejuvenating power of rest. I know many Leaders that have had to learn - the hard way - the value of rest. If we are not careful we can work ourselves into the ground. But on the other end of the spectrum is the lazy person who is stuck in a perpetual state of rest. Neither extreme is beneficial.

There are many truths in the Bible that are expressed to us in parables that deal with farming. God knows that farming principles are easy to understand and His goal is to provide us His unsearchable wisdom in ways that we can relate to and apply. My parents were farmers so I know that farmers have a time to sow and a time to reap (Ecc 3).

Farmers work hard during sowing season (so do their children just ask any of my brothers or sisters ) , preparing the ground, removing weeds and rocks, sowing the seed, and then covering up the seed with enough soil to protect it from the sun. There is then a space between sowing season and harvest time. Farmers do well to get some rest in this time, but the warning here is against getting so comfortable that they get lulled into laziness. If the farmer is not careful he might sleep through the harvest, spoil all the work he had done during sowing season, and miss the opportunity to capitalize on his investment.

As believers we must be both active and industrious. This series is about God's wisdom and when we walk in Godly wisdom we are able to see opportunities that others might miss. The problem comes when we see the opportunity, but we are too lazy to capitalize on it. Wouldn't it be a shame for God to open a door for you, only for you to fail to walk through it, because of the work waiting for you on the other side? Thomas Edison said, "Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

Lazy people not only miss opportunity, they run from it. Don't be one of them. Look for opportunities, ask God to show them to you, but do so with a mindset that is prepared to work. If you continually squander God-given opportunities there will come a point where God stops giving them to you.

So what does this mean ? A few things:

1. Take time to rest: As much as God wants you to work, He does not want you to get burned out. I have learned that rest is Spiritual. If you don't rest you will pay for it in the long run.

2. Don't allow rest to turn into laziness: Rest long enough to get rejuvenated, restored, and revived, but then get back to work. If you are not careful you can lose your passion and drive.

3. Be on the lookout for opportunities: I know these are difficult times for many people, but don't allow difficulty to taint your outlook. Albert Einstein said, "In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity." Have the diligence and dedication to look for opportunities in difficult times.

4. When preparation meets opportunity: Your preparation will show up in your performance. If you are prepared when opportunity comes you will experience success; if not, you will experience the disgrace our text talks about.

Father, I thank You for teaching me to both work and rest. I work diligently and tirelessly. I put my hands to work in the time of work, but I also know the power of rest. I take the time to rest when I need it, because I know that rest is Spiritual and necessary. I refuse to burn myself out. I take the time to spend time with You. You restore my Spirit, soul, and body. Rest enables me to be ready for opportunities. You highlight opportunities for me and I take them by faith. I will not sleep through my harvest season. I enter every day prepared and when opportunity meets preparation I will experience Your best! In Jesus' name. Amen.