Do you enjoy poetry? I certainly do! One of the many reasons is because it's a means of expressing one's self and putting into words what might otherwise be hard to say or describe.
The other day I decided to look for a poem that I had to memorize when I was in school. As I learned it, it had become one of my favorites. A brief search yielded the poem I was looking for, and it was even better than I remembered it to be. As I read it for the first time in so long, I noticed how there were analogies of the Christian life that could be taken from it - although I don't know if that was the intent of the author. I'd like to share this special poem with you.
Opportunity
Edward Rowland Sill
This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream:
There spread a cloud of dust along the plain;
And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince's banner
Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by the foes.
A craven hung along the battle's edge,
And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel -
That blue blade that the king's son bears, - but this
Blunt thing - !" He snapt and flung it from his hand,
And lowering, crept away and left the field.
Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead,
And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,
Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand.
And ran and snatched it, and with a battle-shout,
Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.
One of the meanings this poem holds for me is concerning the area of talents which are instilled in each of us by God our Creator. To those who have trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, He has also given special gifts for the use of ministering to others.
In today's world, there is so much emphasis put on how your abilities and capabilities compare to those of others. It can be easy to feel you don't measure up to someone else or even feel that their talents are "better" or "worth more" than your own. It's a two-fold lie that hinders what we can do for our Lord. First of all, we ought not to compare ourselves to others. The only One we need to compare ourselves to is Jesus. As God's children, we need to focus on His Word and continuously ask ourselves if we are becoming more like Christ. Secondly, it can also influence us to don a quitting attitude instead of using what we have, as if to say, "I can only do 'this', but if I had the talent of 'so-and-so', I could do so much more." God has a reason He has given us the talents and gifts that He has designed for us. The talents He has given to us are the ones that He knows we will use best as long as we remember that our talent really belongs to Him anyway.
Will you be like the craven who was envious and wouldn't use what he had, or will you be like the king's son who used what was available to him to win the battle and save a great cause? Christians are in a battle, you know, a spiritual battle; our cause is Jesus Christ and telling others about His saving power and grace. Will you help win the battle for God?
The book of Revelation promises a victory in the end, yet until then, each day is a battle to be fought. I've chosen to be courageous in the opportunities of life's journey so that I may say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (II Timothy 4:7-8). Is this your choice as well?
Or perhaps you're reading this thinking that the Christian life is powerless - "this blunt thing". Please read other entries in my blog; there are several which reference verses from the Bible about salvation. This is your opportunity to possess freedom like none other: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).
