(Concluded next week.)
By W. S. Sadler
THE SACREDNESS OF OPPORTUNITY.—NO. 2.
INSTEAD of taking opportunities in hand at their eventime, let us seek the mind of Christ, and have our eyes anointed, that we may see as Jesus, in passing, saw the blind man. Then as time passes day by day, we shall see the opportunities heaven has designed for us to grasp. Then, embracing them early,—at their dawn,—we shall be able to use these opportunities to accomplish the greatest amount of good for our associates, and in the development of our mind, body, and souls; and instead of crying because the harvest is past and the opportunities are lost, we shall be able to say with Paul, altho recognizing that we have made many mistakes, and fallen far short, “I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course.” Of such it will be said, as of the woman of old, they have done what they could. The Master can say nothing more to us; and we should not be satisfied to have Him say anything less. How important, then, as we rise in the morning, to pray, “Lord, ‘teach us to recognize the dawn of human opportunity.’” Opportunities may be born that day which are fraught with soul possibilities. Opportunities will be born, which, if seized by us, may make us firebrands for God in the earth; but which, if we pass them by that day, will pass into oblivion. A light that might have guided other souls into the harbor of safety, is put out ere it was hardly lighted. The dawn of a new day should bring opportunities to touch hearts, to sow seed, which, altho we may not be able to observe it all the time of its growth, will by and by yield a harvest of souls on the eternal shore. Do we realize that the only kind of treasure that is translatable to heaven is the human soul? We can take nothing over there but the souls of those in whose hearts we have sown the seed of eternal truth. We lay up treasure for ourselves over there by laying up souls. May the Lord help us day by day,—this coming day, this coming week,—to recognize opportunities, an opportunity to say a kind word that may turn the balance of a soul, and save some unfortunate creature from plunging into the slough of despond. Who knows? The kind word unsaid, the downward course is continued, and the soul that might have been saved sinks beneath the waves to rise no more. Opportunity is the gateway of Providence through which we enter in to make ourselves a part of God’s kingdom. Opportunity is that by which we identify ourselves with the forces of heaven in their working down here to save that which is lost. “Human agencies are the hands of heavenly instrumentalities.” Opportunities are the rungs of the ladder up which we climb to usefulness; not to get away from that which needs our help, but to lift higher and higher with us that which is influenced by our life. The rungs of the ladder are just the same. The next rung above where we are to-day is not bronze, nor silver-plated, nor is it of gold. The only difference between the rung above and the rung we are on to-day is that it is higher; that is all. So we must climb on, recognizing small opportunities as they come and go with the moments of time; and it is these small opportunities, when grasped in sincerity, that often resolve themselves into great opportunities. Great opportunities are not born in a moment. They grow out of the success that accrues in the small opportunities of life which we embrace. Therefore, let us ever watch for the small opportunities, for they are all around us. Let us recognize the sacredness of physical opportunity, both to improve the condition of our own bodies and the bodies of others. To relieve pain is as grand a work as human beings can do in this world; for the life that humanity lives is the life of the Son of God. The pains of humanity, the sickness, the sorrow, and the pangs of all, are those that Christ is suffering Himself. To relieve pain, to alleviate suffering, is to do a work for Christ. Therefore He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these ‘My brethren, ye have done it unto Me.’” God gave His life to Adam, but Adam lost it. And the life that this world has since lived is the life of Christ. If you can relieve the infidel of his pain, you have done a work for Christ, and one which is certain to have its reward. If you can relieve his conscience, too,—well; but the physical is, as a rule, the point of contact; and if we can not recognize the sacredness of physical opportunity and physical law—if these things are passed by as unworthy of attention, can we hope to be able to recognize and improve the greater spiritual opportunities? W. S. SADLER.