The biggest theft in Philadelphia's history was carried out by a couple of men who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. According to witnesses, a yellow container fell out of an armored truck. Two motorists following the truck jumped out, grabbed the object, and sped off laughing.

The driver discovered later that the rear door had not been secured properly, allowing it to swing open and the money to fall out. The container had in it 12,000 one-hundred-dollar bills, which is 1.2 million dollars!

A criminal mind would interpret such a stroke of fortune as a gift from God. But in more subtle ways, all of us are tempted to assume that an unusual opportunity carries with it divine approval. Yet we see how wrong such thinking is when we consider the experience of Jesus in the wilderness.

After 40 days without food, Jesus was hungry and weak. Ahead of Him loomed the cross. But all He had to do was listen to the devil to change all that. Before Him was a golden opportunity to satisfy His body and avoid the torment of crucifixion. But He didn't give in. He showed how important it is to see some situations as temptations to be resisted rather than opportunities to be seized. How about us?  — Mart De Haan