Love of Money

Recently a man in SC won a huge lottery of $260,000,000. I kinda like seeing all those zeros - makes it harder for me to imagine it. The largest check I've ever seen had no more than 4 zeros.

This man, who seems to be a very nice, humble guy, a retired state employee was giving God the glory for his win. Brought up a conversation with a lady at my work about God and gambling. Maybe God did let this guy win so that God would get glory. Is gambling a sin? Is spending $2 on a couple of lottery tickets worse than spending $4 on a cup of coffee? Does it depend on your ability to pay the $2 or $4 or you motives? Does gambling mean you don't trust God to provide? This guy was saying God provided for him by the lottery.

What about all those who never win, who spend more than they should, pursuing a dream that never comes true. Perry mentioned in his sermon Sunday that if you make $50,000 a year (and many Americans do and consider themselves poor) you are in the top 1% of wage earners in the world.

Too much money can be a curse from the enemy. Look at a lot of young athletes who make huge amounts of money and end up in jail or even dead from the excesses all that money allows. The Bible doesn't say money itself is evil but it does say the LOVE of money leads to all sorts of problems.

But you don't have to have $260M to be in love with your money. People in America pursue money in all sorts of ways, not just gambling. Some work and let their time with family suffer so they can have lots of stuff. Some cheat and steal (like Madoff) so they can "have it all". In Mark 8:36 Jesus said "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Having money or stuff in and off itself is not a problem, it's where your heart is that matters. And the only place that matters about your heart is Jesus.