"Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father.Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end." -John 13:1
The windows we have of opportunity and influence are not open forever.
"Don't imagine that because you are a part of the king's household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father's household will perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!"
-Esther 4:14
"For I know what I have planned for you" says The Lord. "I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope."
-Jeremiah 29:11
The windows we have of opportunity and influence are not open forever.
We are all granted "windows." They are an opportunity to inspire and influence the lives of others. They are blessings, not rights. Take a moment to think of as many people as you can that are in your "circle." People that you see or converse with on a regular basis. (your parents, children, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, neighbors, co-workers, bosses)
Now, with every person that you thought of, came at least one window. Some of those windows are wide open and waiting for someone to freshen the place up with breeze of goodness, hope, or healing. Some are sealed shut and need a hand in opening up. Some have curtains drawn in front out of fear or hurt. And some, are open without you even being aware of it. Whatever the situation...we each have at least one window and it's not going to be open forever.
There is urgency that I feel in this analogy of people and their windows, that I struggle to convey in words. We were created for such a time as this! The effectiveness you have now, at whatever age you may be, will not last forever. I think back to the guys and girls I looked up to and imitated growing up. As I grew, things changed, and who I admired changed. I no longer looked up to 6th grade girls, I now looked up to the high-school girls. Then I no longer looked up to the high-school girls, but to the college-age women. Then I no longer looked up to the college-age women but to the young, accomplished, and successful women.
And the line continues on to continue changing...
Get the idea?
The windows of opportunity and influence that are opened to us now, will one day be closed. With that knowledge, I feel such an urgency to make the most of the time and power I have now! We need to make a difference now while we are young! We cannot afford to lose any more time! We don't know how much or how little time we have or the people in our "circle" have left.
