Ability Is Nothing...

February 3

Ability is nothing without opportunity. Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte had quite a grandiose opinion of himself. How else would a humble man born on the French-occupied Island of Corsica rise to be the emperor of France? His ultimate success may have had more to do with the political machinations of his father than of his own prowess, at least initially, but whatever it was, he recognized that he got to the pinnacle of power in post-revolutionary France because of the opportunities afforded to him.

As believers in Christ, we, too, must recognize that all we are and all we achieve are due to the Lord and the opportunities He affords to us. He tells us frankly, "Without Me, you can do nothing," John 15:5. In another place in scripture we are told, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," Philippians 4:13. As Napoleon observed, "Ability is nothing without opportunity," and his words, though perhaps unintentionally, are rooted in the Word of God.

If we base our outlook on life and our success in attaining our life's goals upon the necessity of our abilities being afforded opportunity, are we scripturally justified if we fall short of our desired achievements? Can we lay our ultimate success or failure to reach the pinnacle of our profession or to become the person in the inner sanctum of our being that the Lord desires us to be at His own doorstep?

In a sense we can, but only if we acquiesce to the reality that He indeed does provide opportunity for our ability. It may not come in the way we anticipate it, for He is the Master of orchestrating the surprise. He is not bound by conventional routes to success. Neither our professional attainments nor our personal satisfaction must necessarily come through the ordinary routes recognized by people who do things independently of Him.

But for those who trust Him, His Word is true. His promise is fulfilled when the prophet tells us "…His mercies are new every morning," Lamentations 3:22-23. That one verse tells us that each day placed in His hand is a new opportunity to do and to be all He has ordained. Will it be today? Perhaps. But if it is not, we will continue to trust Him that on His designated tomorrow, we will reap the reward of being a people who hold on to faith which is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," Hebrews 11:1.