Ninety years ago, on March 17th, Nevada legalized gambling. To bolster their economy, lawmakers normalized an otherwise taboo early twentieth-century practice. Today, gambling and the entertainment industry associated with it, dominate the economic engine of the state. In general, the success of Las Vegas, Reno and so forth, tell a unique human story regarding the motivation for quick gain.
In an article by GotQuestions.org entitled, “Is Gambling a Sin?” the author states, “Gambling is a difficult issue because if it is done in moderation and only on occasion, it is a waste of money, but it is not necessarily evil. People waste money on all sorts of activities. Gambling is no more or less of a waste of money than seeing a movie (in many cases), eating an unnecessarily expensive meal, or purchasing a worthless item. At the same time, the fact that money is wasted on other things does not justify gambling. Money should not be wasted.”
Maybe you play the lottery, bet on sports events, pull the one-arm bandit, or simply try to hold-em Texas style. Whatever your game of choice, are you able to say it is not directly impacting your financial security today and for the future? If you cannot, it may be time to reconsider.
What is also true of gambling is that it may disproportionately effect those who have lower overall incomes. While some form of gambling is widespread in many socio-economic households, those who can least afford it may sooner discover the pitfalls of excess.
Moreover, those who do manage to get rich quick often squander away their winnings and destroy relationships post windfall. Upwards of 70% of all lottery winners go broke in less than five years.
So, what are we to make of this from a faith perspective? Serious gambling problems may be rooted in a lack of belief that God can meet a person’s financial needs. In other words, some might express a lack of faith by hoping for worldly help, through potential gambling wins, rather than a deep and abiding belief in Godly provision and the necessary demonstration of personal responsibility.
Second, games of chance for profit, may expose a lack of ethic or pathology in a person’s life including people of faith. Intervention seems an obvious necessity in such cases. If this is you, I urge you to seek help sooner than later. Be an overcomer.
Third, people of faith are called to a measure of stewardship in time, talent, and treasure. If we adhere to religious practice and expression, great concern should be shown for our management of financial resources. While gambling is not the only place one can risk monies unnecessarily, it is a sure bet the house always wins in the end. Casinos do not light their buildings with winner’s money.
Take time this week to reflect on your priorities and see if gambling will truly pay-out.
Kent Simmons is the pastor of Canyon Community Church. He can be reached at kent@canyon-church.com