"Opportunity"

I was seated comfortably on the plane. I had a window seat, an empty seat to my left, and a book ready to put me to sleep. Then there was that dreaded announcement, "The plane will be completely full." I began looking at every passenger with a critical eye. Who was going to occupy that middle seat?

Finally, one of the biggest men I ever met looked at the seat, then at me, and shrugged his huge shoulders. He squeezed into the seat and I became part of the wall of the plane. To make conversation I asked, "Who did you play football for?" "Texas Longhorns," he replied, "starting tight end." "Just how big are you?" "6'8", about 280 pounds." It was going to be a long flight.

Before long I knew more about college football that I cared to know. They he quietly "confessed" something to me; almost like it was a secret. He was sneaking out of practice early on Sunday nights (he coached at an Illinois university) and going to the chapel to hear this priest talk about someone named Jesus. Did I know anything about him?

For an hour or so Glen and I talked about Jesus. Now, if I was a real evangelist (like Philip in our text) I suppose I'd have found a pool in O'Hare and dunked that big tight end right into Jesus. Instead, I suggested some churches and connections in the city. Then I prayed God would intersect his life with another person who knew Jesus. The priest had planted, I had watered. It was time for another to continue the process so God could reap the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).

We all have opportunities come our way. Sometimes we even recognize them and do something about them. When we do, something amazing happens. Actually, two things. We become more confident (the Bible word is 'bold'). And other hear the message of Christ. Some of them even listen and God adds another to His church.