Powerball Mania

Spoiler alert - I have never bought a lottery ticket and I never will. I never understood the fascination of the lottery. I think it is a primary weapon in the arsenal of the evil one because wealth is the great distraction. One, we weary ourselves out to get it. The proverb says "Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone." (23:4-5).

Secondly, once you get it (wealth), you want to give it back. It becomes the big life wrecker. Something like 75% of lottery recipients end up in bankruptcy. It wrecks relationships as well. When we sold two businesses in 1999 and again in 2003, I came into some significant wealth. I found myself figuring out how to "invest" it which translates to how to "spend" it. I found myself wandering adrift with the new found wealth. My relationship with my God was damaged as were other relationships. Thankfully, it was stripped through God's mercy and discipline manifested in some bad decisions on my part. I have told many people that I am thankful for that time although it was painful going through it. I can testify that God is excellent at stripping wealth. Some of us are really good at handling wealth but most are not. You may think you are but chances are you are not.

I have this mental image of a dog chasing a car. The dog thinks catching the car is a major coup. But pity the poor dog that actually catches the car. The car will squash the wayward dog like a bug.

The wealthiest man of his time wrote a biography of his life in the midst of his wealth. His name is Solomon and his autobiography is Ecclesiastes. Solomon used a word throughout the book that describes the folly of wealth. It is the word "meaningless". This book is worthy of your consideration.

The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. (Eccl. 5:12)