The right man, in the right place, at the right time, can steal

Hear the words of Gregory Nunn, sharp as a double-edged blade: “The right man, in the right place, at the right time, can steal millions.” At first, they sound like the boast of a thief, a celebration of cunning and deceit. Yet beneath them lies an ancient warning about the power of opportunity, chance, and human ambition. For history shows that wealth and empires can be overturned not always by the strongest army or the noblest cause, but by a single person who seizes the moment when all forces align.

The ancients themselves knew this truth. Did not Caesar, in a single night crossing the Rubicon, change the fate of Rome? He was the right man, bold and ambitious, standing in the right place, the river that divided loyalty from rebellion, at the right time, when the Republic trembled. His step was small, yet its consequence was vast. Though not a theft of gold alone, it was the theft of power, of liberty, of centuries of tradition. Gregory Nunn’s words whisper this same truth: sometimes it is not armies that seize, but individuals who act when the stars align.

Consider also the tale of Charles Ponzi, whose schemes defrauded thousands in the twentieth century. He promised wealth beyond measure, and by being the right man with charisma, in the right place of a desperate economy, at the right time when trust was easily given, he “stole millions.” His story is not just of greed, but of how human weakness, mixed with timing, can be manipulated by one who dares.

Yet we must not see this quote as counsel for dishonor, but as a mirror. It reveals the nature of opportunity itself. For if one man can seize such fortune for evil, then surely another can seize it for good. The same alignment—the right person, the right place, the right time—can bring not only theft, but healing, invention, or justice. The principle is neither wicked nor righteous in itself; it is power, and power bends toward the hand that grasps it.

But take heed, O seekers of wisdom: opportunity is fleeting. Many walk past the doors of destiny, blind or hesitant, and so another enters to claim what might have been theirs. The words of Gregory Nunn are therefore both warning and challenge: beware the cunning who wait for the perfect moment to take, and prepare yourself to be ready when your moment arrives, that you may give rather than steal, build rather than plunder.

The lesson is plain: cultivate readiness. Be the one who sharpens skill, who gathers knowledge, who watches the tides of life with open eyes. For the day will come when the place is prepared, the time is ripe, and you must decide what you will do. Will you use it to enrich yourself unjustly, leaving ruin behind? Or will you lift others, shaping destiny for the better? The power of opportunity cares little for morality; it is the heart of the one who seizes it that gives it meaning.

Practical wisdom lies before you: prepare daily as if your moment is coming. Strengthen your craft, study the world, cultivate courage. Be vigilant against those who use this principle to exploit others, for they will always exist. But more importantly, be ready to turn the same alignment toward light. For just as a single man in the shadows can steal millions, so too can a single soul in the light inspire millions, heal millions, or lead millions to hope.

Therefore, remember Gregory Nunn’s words not as jest alone, but as ancient counsel: “The right man, in the right place, at the right time, can steal millions.” Let them remind you of the power of seizing the moment. And when your moment comes, choose not the path of the thief, but of the builder, so that what you take from life is not measured in gold, but in the greatness of what you gave.