Doors
When I was younger, I watched soap operas and game shows with my grandmother. One of my favorites was The Price is Right. My grandmother and I would debate on which door the contestant should choose. It was very rare that a contestant chose the right door. They often gave up the better option for a chance at something behind another door. We have doors in our lives. We have choices. We have options. We make decisions daily. Sometimes, we choose the right door. Sometimes, we are like those contestants that risk what we have for something better. Sometimes, it works out. Sometimes, it doesn’t. We can’t make impulse decisions. We need to evaluate every move and decision. We need to count the cost. We need to be prayerful about which doors we choose to walk through and even which doors we close. Every option isn’t necessarily a better one. Choose wisely.
Opportunity Knocks
Most of us are prepared when opportunity knocks. I've always heard people say, "you don't have to get ready if you stay ready." If we are actively preparing ourselves for what's next, we welcome opportunities to grow and improve ourselves. What if you find yourself unprepared? You've got to start somewhere. Chalk it up as a missed opportunity and learn from your mistakes. What can you do today to better yourself? Take a class. Learn that new language. Update your resume. Do something. Prepare. Opportunity is knocking.
Open Door
Revelation 3:8 ESV “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Sometimes, opportunities disguise themselves as change. It may be a new school, a new job, a new house, or simply something outside of your comfort zone. God usually blesses us outside of our realm of understanding, comfort, and ability. Don't sell yourself short. Don't limit yourself. Don't overthink it. Be obedient. Listen. Move when God says move. Speak when God says speak. Go where God tells you to go. It won't make sense, but it will work out. Be patient. Every door isn't your door. Know that when it's your time, no one can hinder you. Walk boldly through your open door.
Maximize
When I first heard the term "working poor," I thought it was some kind of sick joke. I could not fathom the idea that someone could work forty hours and still live below the poverty line. I did not think that homelessness just meant you didn't have an address. You could still have a job and sleep in your car. You could rent a room for a week and pay for storage. I was blissfully unaware. The wealth gap is expanding. The middle class is simply making ends meet. Some of us are one paycheck away from poverty. Our government is passing laws to ensure that the rich get richer and the poor stay impoverished.
“No person can maximize the American Dream on the minimum wage.”
Kairos
There are key moments in our life that define us. It could be the day you graduated from high school or college. It could be the day you had your first child. It could be the day you got married. It could be the day someone close to you died. Victories and tragedies have a way of shaping our lives. Some events catapult us into destiny, while others cause us to take pause. Kairos is an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical or opportune moment. We might not always recognize these as kairos moments, but they are crossroads. These moments have the ability to shift our lives. Take advantage of every opportunity given to you. Don't just knock, kick the door of opportunity open. Seize the moment. Take a chance. Live!