I took the picture above at our local supermarket. Trashcans sit beside the lottery machines that seem to crop up everywhere in Pennsylvania these days, and are ALWAYS full of tickets from those who didn’t win. And, there are ALWAYS people standing there feeding their money into these machines in the hope of becoming a “Big Winner”.
Just a few days ago, I saw a man standing at one of the lottery machines with a very young boy (perhaps his grandson?), encouraging the child to put the money in and “play the game”. The boy was all excited about the chance to win and eagerly shoved the bill in the slot in the hope of gaining a winning ticket. I wanted to pluck that money from the boy’s hand and shout, “Save your money! You will get nothing from that machine but a worthless piece of paper that encourages you to try again and hope for better luck next time!”
The Bible warns us over and over about false hope—putting our faith in the temporary treasures of this world:
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
Proverbs 23:4-5 “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself. When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.”
1 Timothy 6:17 “Warn them not to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God.”
Even if we win the big jackpot, without trust in the Lord, our lives will eventually be empty. Our richest treasures are the promises of God to always be with us (Matthew 28:20), to forgive us when we ask (1 John 1:9), and to take us home to live with Him in Heaven. (John 14:2-3) That makes us the “Big Winners”!
Be encouraged!
