Will They Capitalize?

The month of July has long been considered by many to be the slowest month for sports in the United States, and with good reason.

With the NBA and NHL Playoffs typically wrapping up in June, and the NFL and college football not hitting their full preseason stride until August, sports fans have historically been left with just the heart of the MLB regular season for entertainment.

Things, however, have been a little bit different in 2026.

The FIFA World Cup brought a newfound level of excitement and passion for many American fans, giving the sport overall a significant boost in the States.

Several people who typically complain about the sport being “boring” all of a sudden found themselves wrapped up in the pomp and excitement of the biggest international event in sports.

Another event which produced outsized attention and headlines this month was the WNBA All-Star Game, which saw many of the league’s top stars put on an entertaining display in front of a larger-than-usual crowd. 

Overall, television viewership is up approximately 12% in the WNBA, meaning that the league is more visible now than it has ever been.

All of the current statistics point to the fact that both soccer and professional women’s basketball are generating more attention and interest than any other time in recent memory.

The question, of course, for both sports now becomes, “Can they capitalize on this opportunity?”

Having people get excited when the World Cup is in the midst of its games is great, but it is another thing to get fans to stay excited about the sport in the four years between competitions.

Likewise, the WNBA is hoping that it can make the most of the league’s recent bevy of headlines - some positive, and others not so glamorous - to keep the attention of the general public moving forward.

Whether in sports or in life, there are times when circumstances require us to be more intentionally focused on making the most of the opportunities put in front of us.

As followers of Jesus, this is especially true when the Lord opens opportunities for us to minister to others and point them to God and the truth of His Word. 

Ephesians 5:15-16 (NIV) encourages us, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

None of us knows exactly how long we have on this earth to make an impact for the glory of God. As we recognize the brevity and uncertainty of life, it should motivate us to take advantage of the opportunities we have for effective ministry in the here and now.

In God’s kindness, we all will be presented with unique situations and circumstances in life when the door is obviously cracked open for us to share the gospel, pray with someone, or deliver God’s truth to another person. It is up to us to be generally prepared to make the most of those opportunities.

Colossians 4:5 (NLT) says, “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.”

One of the ways that we can ensure that we faithfully make the most of every opportunity is to do preparation work ahead of time. The more we study the Bible and spend time in prayer, the more sensitive and discerning we will be regarding the situations around us. 

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) commands us, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

A key concept from that verse is that we need to study ahead of time so that we are ready to answer a person when they present us with an opportunity for ministry. 

Of course, as believers it is good for us to be proactive and intentional in seeking out specific ministry opportunities. 

But our focus today is how we can be ready to take advantage of opportunities that arise when we weren’t expecting them. We want to be a people who make the most of the opportunities that God gives to us, faithfully ministering to others so that God would be glorified through our efforts.

Today, let us do everything we can to prepare for whatever God may have in store for us. As we go about our everyday lives, let’s be sensitive to the chances for ministry that the Lord has placed in front of us so that we can “capitalize” on every opportunity.

I’m Matt Osborne, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me see the opportunities You give me for ministry, and give me strength and wisdom to respond faithfully. I pray that I make the most of every opportunity so that You are glorified in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.