The Opportunity

This morning while we were eating at McDonald’s, a teenager carrying a big bag went to our table. He politely said, “Good morning, I’m a self-supporting student...”. He was not able to continue what he wanted to say because I frowned and immediately responded with “We just have an exact amount of money now”. I assumed he was going to sell us products priced double their regular prices. The lad apologized for bothering us then went away.

The lad’s story might not be true, saying he is a self-supporting student might be made-up and that might just be his racket, but anyway, I felt I did not treat him right. Less than an hour ago before arriving at Mc Donald’s, I was reading these passages in the Bible:

Colossians 4:5-6 “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

I even repeatedly read those passages, so what have I just done? I could have said, “I’m sorry but our money is just enough. Maybe next time when you see us again.” And maybe if I allowed him to finish what he was about to say, I could have thought of other things to say. At least I was not lying, because the 500-peso bill that I had before going to Mc Donald’s was missing the night before. It was a big sum to lose, I’ve thought, and I was thankful I found it on the floor of the car this morning.

I am now wondering if all that happened was just a test. Just the other day, I read another passage from Matthew 6:24, coming from Jesus Christ:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

I even told myself that would be good to share, so I shared that to a group in Facebook. Why then did the 500-peso bill became so important?

Perhaps there are a lot like me who couldn’t get over such earthly situations. The “opportunity” mentioned in that passage from the Colossians was talking about our opportunity to be transformed, but we are too wary of people who are “opportunists”. If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in us and will guide us when opportunists are in front of us. Or will the Holy Spirit even allow opportunists to come near us?