THE LAWS OF OPPORTUNITY

LAW ONE OPPORTUNITY COMES TO EVERYONE “He makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45. Opportunity comes and will come to everyone. It is inevitable. Just as it happens with the rain, opportunity comes to everyone irrespective of your background or geography. It may come to some people more frequently than it comes to others. Some may even get bigger or greater doses of opportunity than others, but everyone gets a visit from opportunity sometime. Consider this trite quote of Shakespeare in the play Julius Caesar; “There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures.” These words highlight the principle that opportunity comes to everyone at some point in time. Have you watched a soccer game in which one side seemed to be creating all the chances, having a greater chunk of ball possession and even being more skilful than the opponent but somehow managed not to score? The opponent on the other hand though not as skilful, though not creating or getting as many chances at goal, though having a paltry amount of ball possession got just one chance, scored and won the game. We have seen this happen countless times. This is how it is with opportunity. Some people seem to have an overdose of opportunity, maybe due to their family background, upbringing, social status, education, connections, and other apparent advantages. Others on the other hand may not get as much opportunity due to their minuses in the areas described above. Does it mean that the person without much opportunity is doomed to fail? Not necessarily. The seemingly disadvantaged person will also get a visit from opportunity. What makes the difference is what he does with it. It is not how many chances you get but a question of using the chance which presents itself to you. The problem with many people is not the lack of opportunity but the recognition of opportunity and its use. The prophet Isaiah declares; “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not until it waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:...” Isaiah 55:10. Seed is synonymous with opportunity because it speaks of potential. The question becomes what you do with it. Do you eat it or sow it? Never complain about your lot in life. Rather, change your life by being on the lookout for the opportunities which present themselves to you. If you keep a negative posture in life chances are you will never recognise opportunity. However, if you make the effort to be more conscious and cognitive of what goes on around you, you will likely see opportunities which others are blind to. Look out, there’s another opportunity about to show up.