Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” (Col.4:5 NIV)
After my call to the Nigerian Bar in 2000, I was invited by a foremost corporate law firm in Lagos for an interview based on the recommendation of their managing partner. I went through the hiring process and at the point of selection, some other learned colleagues were selected. At that point, I didn’t understand why I shouldn’t be part of the list. As I grew and became more self-aware, I realized I wasn’t prepared for that privileged opportunity that was presented to me.
Opportunities abound everyday. Each new day presents new and grander opportunities for exploits. The Bible says, “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits,…” (Ps.68:19) Everyday is loaded with God’s blessings; but what God does is that He activates His favor that produces the opportunities for us to appropriate the blessings.
There’s an age long belief that you must be at the right place at the right time to leverage on opportunities. Permit me to submit that the adage is half truth. If an unprepared person finds himself or herself in the right place at the right time, it would not translate to success. According to Seneca, “Success is where preparation meets opportunity.” And I couldn’t agree more.
Therefore, it’s not enough to be in the right place at the right time to make the most of opportunity. There are other factors that must be in place to maximize the opportunity presented to you. Here are they:
1. Be the Right Person.
Most times we want the right job or spouse but the question is – Are you the right person for the job or the right suitor or spouse? You must be to become! “So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.” (2 Chron.27:6)
2. Have the Right Attitude.
My father in the gospel, Dr. David Oyedepo said, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” It’s your perspective to life that determines your possession. How you see things, feel about them and react can determine if you’ll embrace opportunity or repel it.
3. Being Able to Discern and Recognize the Right Opportunity.
Your spiritual and mental awareness of the right opportunities for you is key to leveraging on opportunities. Therefore, you need to be guided by the Holy Spirit and allow the Word of God to transform your mind to be able to prove what is that good, acceptable or perfect.
4. Being Able to Make the Right Pitch and Strike the Right Chord.
Your ability to make the right pitch will pitch you for the benefit from the opportunity. Having the right message and selling both you and the message are fundamental to leveraging on opportunities. When the Syrophoenician woman encountered Christ in Matt.15, for her daughter’s healing, she made a pitch that Jesus couldn’t resist.
Job said, “How forcible are right words!”(Job 6:25) And Solomon said, “ The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver.”(Prov.25:11 CEV)
A new day loaded with opportunities is here again! Take maximum advantage of the favor of God.
To making the most of opportunities,
✝️Tochukwu Kemakolam
Prime Minister