Use the Opportunity to Serve the People—It May Not Come Again
Opportunities do not come repeatedly in life. Among the most meaningful opportunities a person can receive is the chance to serve others.
Whether that opportunity comes through elected office, public administration, institutional leadership, business, social work or any other position of influence, it should be used for the welfare of the people—not for personal gain.
A position of authority is temporary. Responsibility is entrusted, not owned.
Those who occupy positions of influence today cannot assume that they will remain there indefinitely.
Circumstances change, positions change and, eventually, every person must step away from the authority they once exercised.
Someone whose decisions affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands today may tomorrow return to the position of an ordinary citizen.
This is a fundamental reality of public life. It is therefore important to understand that power is not permanent, but the consequences of how it is used can be lasting.
Responsibility Is Greater Than Power
Holding a position is an honour, but the real significance of that position lies in the responsibility attached to it. The greater the authority, the greater the obligation to the people.
Power gives a person the ability to influence decisions and circumstances. But the true value of power depends on how that influence is exercised.
A person in authority may use a position to secure personal benefits, favour relatives and associates, or expand private influence.
Alternatively, the same authority can be used to solve people’s problems, protect legitimate rights, improve public services and create opportunities for others.
The difference may begin with individual character, but its consequences extend far beyond the individual.
The way authority is exercised can strengthen or weaken institutions, affect public confidence and influence the quality of governance.
Public money, public resources and public institutions are not the private property of those who temporarily administer them.
They are held in trust on behalf of the people. Every important decision should therefore invite a simple question: How will this decision affect the public interest?
Public Trust Is an Achievement
Money, status and influence can change with circumstances. Public trust is different. It is earned gradually and can be difficult to restore once lost.
People may not remember every speech, meeting or official announcement.
But they often remember who stood beside them during difficult times, who defended their legitimate rights, who resisted injustice and who helped them when they had nowhere else to turn.
Public service, therefore, is not necessarily measured by the size of a project or the prominence of an official ceremony.
It can mean ensuring that a disadvantaged person receives a legitimate service. It can mean removing unnecessary obstacles from a government process.
It can mean speaking against an irregularity, helping a sick person obtain treatment, creating employment for a young person or supporting an institution that serves the community.
These may appear to be small actions individually, but together they can shape people’s perception of institutions and leadership.
International evidence also underscores the importance of everyday interactions with public institutions.
The OECD’s 2026 Trust Survey found that perceptions of fairness, responsiveness, integrity and the quality of administrative services are associated with public trust.
Do Not Turn Public Opportunity into Private Advantage
One of the greatest dangers in public life arises when responsibility is viewed primarily as an opportunity for personal benefit.
When public authority becomes associated with nepotism, corruption, favouritism or abuse of influence, the damage extends beyond individual cases. Institutions become weaker, merit becomes less important, and ordinary people gradually lose confidence in the fairness of the system.
A person may be able to secure an advantage through influence. But if such practices become widespread, the cost is ultimately borne by society.
Public office should therefore be understood as a responsibility to be exercised—not an opportunity to be exploited.
Time Matters
Every position of responsibility has a time limit.
Political office, administrative responsibility, institutional leadership and social influence all eventually come to an end.
Consequently, something that can be done today may become difficult or impossible tomorrow.
Good initiatives are sometimes lost because of indecision, bureaucratic delay or reluctance to take responsibility. By the time circumstances change, the opportunity may have disappeared.
Public Service Is Everyone’s Responsibility
Public service is often associated with politicians and elected representatives. But the responsibility is much broader.
A teacher serves society by educating the next generation and developing knowledge and values.
A doctor serves by protecting human life. A banker can support legitimate businesses and entrepreneurs through responsible financial services.
A businessperson can create employment and economic opportunity. A journalist, writer or columnist can raise important public-interest issues and contribute to informed discussion.
A government official can reduce public suffering through fair, efficient and timely service.
Authority Must Be Accompanied by Accountability
Authority without accountability creates opportunities for abuse.
Those who make important decisions should be prepared to explain the reasons for those decisions and accept responsibility for their consequences.
Transparency, fairness, the rule of law and institutional checks and balances are therefore essential components of responsible governance.
The importance of these principles is also reflected in recent international evidence. The OECD’s 2026 survey reports that people’s perceptions of evidence-based decision-making, responsiveness, fairness and accountability are closely connected with trust in public institutions.
Accountability is not intended to discourage people from exercising authority. Rather, it helps ensure that authority is exercised responsibly.
Good institutions should create conditions in which honest and capable people can work effectively while providing meaningful mechanisms to address misconduct and conflicts of interest.
What Will You Leave Behind?
At the end of a person’s public or professional life, another question becomes important: What did that person leave behind for others?
Perhaps someone established an educational institution. Someone else may have created employment for hundreds of people.
Another may have helped disadvantaged communities or contributed to social development. Others may have used their knowledge and influence to promote justice, education, ethical conduct or human welfare.
These contributions can give lasting meaning to a person’s life.
By contrast, a position itself is not necessarily a legacy. Titles disappear, offices change hands and authority eventually passes to someone else. What remains is the impact of the work.
When the Opportunity Comes, Use It
An opportunity to serve the people cannot simply be stored for the future. Responsibilities are temporary, circumstances change, and opportunities can disappear.
Therefore, those who are in a position today to do something meaningful for society should not unnecessarily postpone it.
A fair decision can be public service.
Standing against corruption can be public service.
Protecting someone’s legitimate rights can be public service.
Creating employment can be public service.
Making an institution more transparent and accessible can be public service.
Helping a vulnerable person can be public service.
Eventually, every position will end. Every authority will pass to someone else. Circumstances will change, and the people who once exercised power will return to ordinary life.
But the good done for others can endure.
The greatest achievement of responsibility is not how much authority one exercised, how much wealth one accumulated or how many people one could influence. It is how much positive change one was able to create while the opportunity existed.
Opportunities do not come again and again. So, whenever the opportunity to serve the people comes, let us not waste it on personal interests.
Let us use it to protect rights, solve problems, strengthen institutions, create opportunities and improve people’s lives. Positions are temporary. Power is temporary. But meaningful service can leave a lasting legacy.
(The writer is an Economist, Social and Political Thinker, Human Rights Activist and Columnist)
