Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity… Ephesians 5:15
Fifty years have passed, but I can still see my grandma bending over in her vegetable garden gathering the fruit of her labor. As immigrants making a new life and raising five children, she and my grandfather lived wisely. They ate very little red meat, and pastas served with vegetables were often a main dish. One unique dish my grandma served came from zucchini flowers. Knowing that these flowers wouldn’t produce a vegetable, she picked them rather than let them wither and die. She chopped them, made a batter for dipping and fried them. It was a predictable dish to serve during zucchini season. Immigrants wasted nothing.
Ephesians gives us words of caution; to be wise, live carefully, and make the most of every opportunity that comes our way. Another translation says, “Walk circumspectly” (i.e. look around and check things out; what opportunity do you see that you can act on wisely?).
Today’s economy brings challenges. Many are living scripts characterized by unemployment, reduction to a single income, falling home values, or adjusting budgets.
The minute we wake up we are given the gift of twenty-four hours filled with opportunities. We might have an opportunity to be creative, learn something new, deepen our relationship with God, move toward a goal, encourage someone, meet a need or adopt a new way of managing our money.
Perhaps you are one who has a need. Look at my grandma’s model and waste nothing—even zucchini flowers. Take hold of the opportunity to be wise and distinguish needs from wants. Perhaps wisdom includes seeking financial advice. Or maybe you are the one who can meet a need in another’s life. Take an inventory today of your opportunities. How can you walk wisely and make the most of your twenty-four hours?
Marilyn Nutter is the author of three devotional books: Dressed up Moms’ Devotions to Go, Tea Lovers’ Devotions to Go, and Diva Delights Devotions to Go. She and her husband are new residents of the Charlotte, NC area. Marilyn enjoys speaking to women’s groups about discovering extraordinary treasures in ordinary days. Her blog, http://grandmothersviews.blogspot.com/ is designed to encourage boomer women to put puzzle pieces together in their new life season. Visit her website at www.marilynnutter.com.
