top of page
Search

Opportunity


Of all the fleeting things in this life, one of the most fleeting is opportunity. Each day that we wake up we are faced with another set of opportunities and possibilities. We can choose to call that person we have on our mind, have a conversation we have been putting off, or complete a task that we never seem to get around to doing. Opportunities abound. Sometimes we get another chance to grab onto an opportunity in front of us, and others once they are gone are gone forever.


The ancient Greeks had a god called Caerus (or Kairos), the youngest son of Zeus. The statue of Kairos depicted a running figure with a large lock of hair on his forehead with a bald head on back. He is carrying a razor as he is seen running, and an inscription gives us what his likeness means.


"Who was the sculptor and where did he come from?

From Sikyon. What was his name?

Lysippus.

And who are you?

The Time that controls all things. Why do you stand on tip-toe?

I'm running. Why do you have a pair of wings on your feet?

I fly with the wind. Why do you have a razor in your right hand?

As a reminder for people that I am sharper than any sharp edge. Why do you have a tuft of hair over your face?

So, he who meets me can take me by the hair. And why, in heaven's name, in the back of your head bald?

Because after I pass by, on my winged feet, nobody can catch me anymore,

even if they wish they could. Why has the artist sculpted you?

For your sake, stranger, and he put me on the porch so as

you might learn something."


As I get older, I am becoming more and more aware of the fleeting opportunities that come my way each day. In fact, I see my stewardship of opportunities as important as my stewardship of wealth and resources. I need to ask myself regularly, “What am I doing with the opportunities that God brings into my life?”


This recently presented itself in a somewhat unique way to me. Many years ago, before I turned 56, I remember looking in the mirror and realizing that my number of tomorrows are a lot less than my number of yesterdays. This encouraged me to do something I had wanted to do my entire life, but never got around to doing, and that was to learn to become a private pilot. At that time I had the money, time, energy, and desire - so that weekend I went to my local flight school, signed up for lessons, and four months and one day later passed my check ride to become a pilot. A little over a year later I added an instrument rating to my license, and I have never once regretted my decision.


Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. A friend of mine suggested I join ETS, the Evangelical Theological Society. This is a group of students, professors, and educators dedicated to the scholarly research and defense of Biblical truth. I had always wanted to join, so I submitted my application, got a fellow colleague at Moody to recommend me, and was accepted as associate member. As an associate member I am entitled to a subscription to their journal, JETS, and can attend their annual meetings, but I am not a full member as I do not have a terminal degree, either a Th. M. or a Doctorate.


So that got me thinking! What would it take for me to get a terminal degree? I already had a Master of Arts in Religion. Would it be possible to get some further education to reach that level?


So, I did some research, and found out that to be eligible for a Th. M (Master of Theology) I had to have an M. Div. (Master of Divinity). In looking at the requirements for the M. Div. I found a lot of courses that, to be honest, did not appeal to me at my stage of life. For example, I am not at all interested in a course on Pastoral Counseling, Pre-Marital Counseling, and Cross-Cultural Evangelism (all required for the M. Div.). But perhaps there was another way, so I gave Liberty University a call and told them my ultimate educational goal of a Th. M. They looked over the work I had done so far and confirmed as I had already found out I needed an M. Div. to be eligible for the Th. M – or I could have an M. Div. equivalent.


That made my ears perk up! What exactly would I need for an M. Div. equivalent? The admissions person put me on hold for a few minutes and came back and told me if I added a Master of Arts in Chaplaincy, or a Master of Arts in Biblical Languages, that would do it!


Biblical languages! I had already taught myself a lot of Greek and was in the process of finishing a class on reading Hebrew, so that was a real possibility. I told the person I would get back to them – but Biblical Languages – could I do that?


As I thought about it the next couple of days, I concluded that I would give it a go. I have the money, being retired I have the time, I have the inclination as I always wanted to learn formally Greek and Hebrew, I have a reason – the pursuit of a Th. M. - and now here is the opportunity. On top of that, I couldn’t get anyone to talk me out of it!


So, I grabbed Kairos as he raced by and held on!


I start the program January 10, 2022!


31 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page