I love the old saying by comedian Milton Berle: “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”

In today’s world, there are many doors for us as Christians. Opportunity knocks all over the place. It’s gotten easier and easier for us to stand out for all the right reasons.

While fraud, cheating and selfish coldness grow everywhere around us, the spiritual darkness of sin just causes our heart’s generosity and transparency to shine that much brighter. Watch this video, and you’ll see how dark our sinful hearts can sometimes be.

These are opportunities that are way too good to be missed. So…

• Don’t let the world’s darkness infect you and dim the beautiful, bright light the gospel has lit inside your heart
• Don’t get tired of or disenchanted with spreading God’s goodness around in the world all about you
• Don’t overlook the many opportunities to help your neighbor — and by “neighbor,” I mean anyone to whom Jesus has given you an opening to be helpful

Because this is what Jesus’ love does for us. And it’s what we do when our heart is filled with his love. We build doors. And we answer the call when opportunity knocks.

“No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light…

Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.’” (Luke 11:33, 39-42, NIV).

Lord, help me shine your gospel light in this dark world. I want to make a difference for others as you have made a huge difference for me.

Our Bible reading Tuesday, April 7, is Deuteronomy 6:1 – 8:20, Luke 11:33-54 and Psalm 42:1-6a.

Header image based on "Milton Berle If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door" by BK, CC By-SA 2.0