The Opportunity to be King

The word opportunity is defined in two ways. First, it can refer to “a favorable juncture of circumstances.” An opportunity also involves “a good chance for advancement or progress.”  The combination of these two definitions reveals that an opportunity occurs under the right conditions or circumstances while providing the possibility to advance. If a man is to take advantage of opportunities, he must prepare in advance. Many men miss the chance to advance in life because they fail in one way or another to discern the possibilities associated with the challenges they face in life. Every man will face challenges! Men will face challenges as husbands in their marriages. Men face challenges daily as fathers and leaders in their homes. No man is exempt from the responsibility of providing for his own. However, it is evident today that many men remain unprepared and miss the opportunity to represent authentic biblical manhood.
 
This point is illustrated in the life of David. Samuel, God’s prophet, provides insight and understanding of how an opportunity can be missed, or taken advantage of. This chapter provides the account of David and his response to the Philistine giant, Goliath. This chapter also records the response of the men who made up the army of the Lord. The Bible verifies the account that Goliath challenged the army of Israel continuously for forty days. The Bible also confirms that no man in Israel’s army took advantage of the opportunity for advancement communicated by Saul, their king. “Now the Israelites had been saying, Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out o defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father’s family from taxes in Israel.” This set of circumstances definitely represents a favorable context for advancement.
Unfortunately, no one in the Israelite army took advantage of this opportunity. The Bible explains that the entire Israelite army was afraid. Every man was afraid of Goliath. 1 Sam. 17:11 reveals: “On hearing the Philistines words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” Verse 24 states: “When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.” Every man in the army of Saul missed the opportunity to take advantage of the advancement offered to them.
 
We also learn in 1 Samuel 17 that David arrives at the Israelite camp at the time the army was going out to their battle positions. David witnesses the threats of the Philistine giant, Goliath. However, David responds with a different attitude. He is obviously upset that Goliath would be permitted to disrespect the God of Israel. David takes this personally and cannot be quieted by the soldiers in general or his brother specifically. David was able to recognize the significance of this moment because he had seen it before. There will always be defining moments in each man’s life. Becoming a husband is a defining moment. Becoming a father is a defining moment. Every man will be proven by defining moments. These moments are the result of a favorable juncture of circumstances that provide the chance for advancement or progress. Each man must figure out how he will respond in these moments. Everything may be on the line in these moments. Everyone may depend on the man at this moment. These moments don’t happen all the time, but when they happen, the man must be prepared to act.
 
David responded as a king! He realized that this moment was greater than himself. This moment was about representing the God of Israel. This moment was about the future of God’s people. This was one of those opportunities that only come once in a lifetime. This was a defining moment that involved not just David, but King Saul, his sons, and all the men of Israel. All of Israel would hear about this moment. History would record how each man responded. The same thing is true today. Manhood is under attack and fatherhood has been compromised by the failure of so many men to take advantage of their moment. Every man must realize and acknowledge that once a moment has passed, it cannot be relived. The response of every man to this kind of moment will determine whether there will be advancement or progress. So much ground has been lost because men have not taken serious the opportunities before them. May every man realize that opportunities have a purpose. For men, it is the opportunity to become a king! May the Lord bless every man who uses divine moments to become the king he was born to be.