Exploiting a situation without ethical consideration or concern for others’ well-being is opportunistic behaviour. This conduct is driven by self-serving motives and convenience, often with guile and evil intent. Isaiah reveals a hardcore fact about God’s perspective on opportunistic behaviour, Isaiah 29 vs13, ‘Then the Lord said, “Because these people draw near with their words and honour Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.”‘ God warns us that destruction is invariably not far off when we are unfaithful to Him and His Word.
James 1 vs 8 reveals a hard-to-swallow truth many of us are either guilty of or have experienced, ‘A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways’. Katy Perry’s hit track ‘Hot N Cold’ reminds us of how difficult it is to be in relations with a double-minded person. A line from her track says, ‘You change your mind like a girl changes clothes.’ Peter in 2 Peter 2 vs 14 warns us of the dangers of double-mindedness that opens us up to exploitation from opportunistic false teachers, saying, ‘Their eyes are full of adultery; their desire for sin is never satisfied; they seduce the unstable. They are accursed children with hearts trained in greed.’
‘Science Publications’, along with Microsoft, July 2016, regarding research into opportunism reported by internet users and programmers, concluded, ‘In modern times information has a powerful (exploitative) nature, being used in the framework of opportunistic behaviour and replicating through the media and the Internet, thereby penetrating into the consciousness of many people and manipulating them. Modern information in the framework of opportunistic behaviour is a specially designed, rational, well-thought-out design designed to inspire (or deceive) people to encourage and guide their actions. The technology of manipulation of information by the programmer includes such features as the use of myth and mythologies, the emotional role of language, the visualization element, the prophecy, image, media rituals and performances.
Losing their sense of individuality, people exposed to manipulation by myth-making technology begin to act, think and feel in a certain specified way. Despite their concealment, knowledge of components of manipulative practices in the framework of opportunistic behaviour helps to understand the situation and to block, at least partially, the impact of manipulation. The knowledge of manipulating information helps relieve the flair of wonderfulness, restoring the person to the fold of rational and real perception of the world.’- https://thescipub.com/pdf/ajassp.2016.996.1005.pdf
It is essential to consider that this recent ‘Science Publications’ research paper validates that certain behaviours, such as opportunism and double-mindedness, result in confusion and distort the truth. This finding is in line with the teachings of Christianity, albeit The Bible made these claims thousands of years before this research.
God’s Holy Word is filled with accounts of opportunistic behaviour. To name a few:
- The serpent deceiving Eve
- Esau stealing Jacob’s birthright
- David arranged for Bathsheba’s husband to be killed in battle
- Salome calling for John the Baptist to be beheaded
There is an exciting account of opportunism in 1 Samuel 14 vs 21.
Investigating why these people flip-flopped from the Israelites to the Philistines and back again reveals some intriguing possibilities.
Clarke’s Commentary
‘Verse 1 Samuel 14 vs 21, “The Hebrews that were with the Philistines“- We may understand such as they held in bondage, or who were their servants. Instead of Hebrews, the Septuagint read, οι δουλοι, the slaves; from which it is evident that, instead of עברים Ibrim, Hebrews, they found in their text עבדים abadim, servants’.- https://www.studylight.org/commentary/1-samuel/14-21.html.
Enduring Word
‘‘Moreover, the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time…also joined the Israelites“- It seems that many in Israel had the insecure heart of Saul. These Hebrew servants of the Philistines probably hated their masters but were afraid to stand free in the LORD. They only came out for Israel when victory was assured.”- https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-samuel-14/
So what could explain why these Hebrews defected to the Philistines, giving up their freedoms to become servants, hoping to preserve themselves?
- The Philistines defeated the Israelites- 1 Samuel 4
- God warns the Israelites about oppression from a monarchy- 1 Samuel 8
- Saul was intimidating in stature, standing head and shoulders above others- 1 Samuel 9
- Some disliked Saul, the elected king- 1 Samuel 10
Whatever the reasons are that these people defected, they were opportunistic. They allowed personal feelings to move them out of God’s graces and got into bed with those God called evil.
How often have you cut your nose off to spite your face because things weren’t as you desired, even siding with what is wrong in God’s eyes as an act of defiance and willful rebellion? I definitely have gotten my feelings getting the feels and made terrible choices.
Tímea Drinóczi, Visiting Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in an article fighting against government opportunism to exploit academic freedoms, in her article, ‘Loyalty, Opportunism and Fear’ makes a compelling point that aligns with the fear-based opportunism found in 1 Samuel 14 vs 21, “Exactly this capability of detaching oneself from the underlying question of “right” and “wrong” is what makes this behaviour either naïve (they do not see what is going on, which, given their positions, is quite unlikely) or, instead, hypocritical, and opportunistic. In this latter case, for whatever reasons (personal, professional, political, existential, fear, loyalty), they want to keep up the appearance of a defender of autonomy – but only to the extent they presume that the government would tolerate it.”- https://verfassungsblog.de/loyalty-opportunism-and-fear/
Opportunism goes against God’s Desire for us to be faithful to Him, as it seeks to serve self. Messiah King Jesus tells us, Matthew 16 vs 24, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
As is self-evident throughout The Holy Bible, we see that the principle of opportunism reaping destruction magnificently summed up in Galatians 6 vs 7-8.
But, there is hope for us if we have slipped into the slimy pit of self-serving opportunism. After all, God tells us, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”- Hosea 6 vs 6. James 4 vs 8 implores us to turn away from our “philistine” bent and return to God, ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts; you double-minded.‘
#Hayibo 