 The
Proclaimer
Buying Up The Opportunity
“But I will
tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost; for a great door and effectual is opened
unto me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:8, 9).
Paul saw a great
door opened for him in Ephesus. “Door” is figurative language for
opportunity. He saw an opportunity that was not only “great,” but
“effectual.” His idea is not merely of a great door standing ajar but of a
great door into which one enters in order to accomplish a specific task.
Paul was convinced he could be effective in the preaching of the gospel and
reaching the lost in Ephesus. Such an opportunity simply could not by
lost. Hence, he writes that he must delay his visit to Corinth and stay in
Ephesus for a while.
Notice that Paul
does not say that he has opened a door in Ephesus, but that “a great
door . . . is opened unto me.” Clearly, Paul implies that God has a part in
opening opportunities in Ephesus to reach the lost with the gospel. Can we
expect God to do the same for us today? Absolutely! I’m not suggesting any
miraculous intervention. But I am saying that perhaps we do not take
advantage of many opportunities afforded us to teach others the truth of
God.
Paul writes,
“Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming
the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15, 16). “Redeeming the time”
means literally, “buying up the opportunity.” The verb shows continuous
action, hence, Christians are wise when they “keep on buying up the
opportunity.” In other words, wisdom makes the most of its opportunities to
serve God. Seasons of opportunity are brief at best, they soon slip by; we
must recognize them and must buy while the buying is good.
We say, “use the
opportunity.” Paul says, “buy it up;” purchase all that it offers. This
implies we must pay the necessary price in effort or exertion, time and
inconvenience. It is foolish for us to hold back and wait for another
opportunity, even if we think the next opportunity might be a better one,
for it often fails to arrive. The only thing worse is to never see the
opportunity at all and let it slip by. The fact is, our brief lives present
only so much opportunity. Opportunities are few. We need to buy them up!
Paul writes to
the Colossians, “Continue stedfastly in prayer, watching therein with
thanksgiving; withal praying for us also, that God may open unto us a door
for the word” (Col. 4:2, 3). Prayer needs to be a part of every aspect of
our life. But especially do we need to pray for God’s help in reaching the
lost with the gospel. We need God’s help in so many ways: to open the door
of opportunity, to give us the strength and wisdom to take advantage of this
opportunity, that the seed of God’s Word can be effectively sown in the
hearts of honest and good men.
But
Paul not only saw opportunities, he saw obstacles as well, for “there are
many adversaries.” He did not, however, allow these obstacles to either
prevent him from seeing these opportunities or taking advantage of them. We
may face resistance as we attempt to speak with others about the gospel.
This resistance can easily give us plenty of reasons (or excuses) not to
act. But the stewardship of opportunity is important. We must constantly
ask ourselves, “What opportunities is God giving me today?” Instead of
complaining about whatever obstacles we encounter, we must take advantage of
the opportunities, and leave the results with the Lord.
-- Clark Dugger
The Proclaimer
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