Opportunities Require Discernment

Excerpted from this week's "Monday Manna" from CBMC by Robert J. Tamasy

"When opportunity knocks, be certain to answer the door!" This is sound advice, without question, but it should come with a word of caution: Just because an opportunity presents itself, it is not necessarily the right opportunity for you.

There are other times when opportunities need to be considered in terms of your own limited time and personal resources. It’s not that an opportunity is wrong or bad; it simply may require more energy than you can give to it, or it may prevent you from acting upon even more suitable opportunities. Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost For His Highest, writes, "The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. The good is always the enemy of the best" (May 25).

What a striking thought: Good being the enemy of the best! If this statement is true, how do we distinguish good opportunities that come our way from the best opportunities? Particularly because what is merely good for one person, based on his or her interests, skills and gifts, would be the best endeavor for someone else? For instance, assuming a key leadership role in a volunteer organization may prove ideal for one individual, while the same role could cause great frustration for someone else with equal ability whose interests lie elsewhere.

In addressing any area of uncertainty in life, including enticing opportunities, careful discernment is indispensable.

Think through opportunities carefully before acting on them. When a new situation seems appealing, especially compared with what we presently are involved with, we can easily respond impulsively, without thinking through all the possible ramifications. The best time to correct a bad decision is before you make it.

"The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception."
Proverbs 14:8

"A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps."
Proverbs 14:15

Consider opportunities rationally; don’t let your ego get in the way. "You would be the perfect person for the job!" Has anyone said something like this to you? It’s flattering to hear such things, but no one knows you as well as you do. Sometimes people offer such encouragement to persuade, knowing a job needs to be done -- and you seem to be the only one available to do it. Don’t be swayed by words that puff up your ego.

"The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on folly."
Proverbs 15:14

Sometimes the best opportunity is the one you are already engaged in. Many of us like variety, and in any job there are times when it seems boring and routine. At such times we may start thinking about doing something new and fresh and different. But if not carefully evaluated, a drastic change can prove disastrous.

"A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth."
Proverbs 17:24