Misplaced investments

Luke 16:11 – “If you cannot be trusted with worldly riches, you will not be trusted with the true riches.”
     Over the past week there was a fever-pitch swarming around the nation as many states participated in the high stakes lottery games. Neighboring states that do not participate in the lottery drawing saw their citizens driving often hundreds of miles to cross borders to purchase tickets for a chance at unbridled wealth. For the opportunity to instantly be delivered from debt, poverty, misery or just to have more and more and more, many are putting together lists of numbers ranging from birthdates, anniversaries, and lucky digits or just throwing luck to the wind by getting computerized quick-picks.
     Everywhere I went the conversation somehow centers on what ‘I” would do and where “I” would go if “I” got that money. Needless to say, I too, have daydreamed about what that kind of wealth could do for me, my family and my dreams for my ministry; but I can’t see spending gobs of money on a long shot. Admittedly I purchased a ticket or two but I have heard that some people are spending hundreds of dollars and even turning over their paychecks to purchase lottery tickets. If people would invest as much money in education, medical research, as they have done over the past few weeks on a lottery pipedream so many of the world’s ills could probably be reconciled.
     Can God trust us with the stewardship of world possessions in such a way that we demonstrate confidence in what heavenly rewards he has for us? Let’s be sure to examine our motives and our actions. We must be sure to invest as much (or more) in God’s plans as we do in our own dreams.
     Every day is a good day; it is up to us to a make it a GREAT day! Be blessed! Rev. Dr. JoAnn