Lottery Lessons
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
My parents, Ron and Pat Larson, were lifetime educators. My mom taught French and Civics at the local high school, and my dad taught Sociology at the community college. They never missed an opportunity to teach us important life lessons.
The small town I grew up in Southwest Virginia did not have many places to shop, so when back-to-school time came each year, we would make the pilgrimage through the tunnels on I-77 over to Mercer Mall in Bluefield, WV.
We picked up our backpacks and new shoes in Bluefield. But there was something else we could purchase in WV that was not available in Virginia: Lottery tickets! My dad knew the lottery is a terrible investment, but he also knew that it could be used as a good teaching opportunity.
He let us purchase a couple of scratchers, even though he knew that we would lose money. I think he let us buy them because he knew we would lose. If we won, we would “reinvest” our winnings to buy more scratchers. After the money we invested was depleted, Dad explained how the lottery is essentially a tax on people who want to get rich quickly and do not know any better. He also used it to explain the core difference between Communism and Capitalism (see tomorrow).
Why did these lessons stick so much that I am still writing about them over 30 years later? First, Dad let us choose. Then, he let us take action. And finally, he let us live with the consequences and did not bail us out. These lessons taught us more than anything we can learn in a book or in a classroom. I am sure Dad could have eloquently explained how the lottery is a bad idea, but through experiencing the loss we remember the lesson more.
My dad realized that money is just a tool, so he used this tool to teach us lessons about life. He taught us in a way that invited us to participate in the lesson.
Jesus taught the same way. When you read scripture, you’ll see that sometimes he was proactive and actively sought teachable moments. Other times he would respond to questions the “experts” asked him. Either way he refused to provide easy answers. Instead, he welcomed people into a conversation so that they could understand these principles on their own.
How will you share a simple lesson about the love of Jesus with someone today?
Jesus, give me the patience to really learn the lessons You are trying to teach me. Help me see Your truth that is all around me, and apply that truth to put a smile on Your face. Help me apply these principles in all areas of my life so that I will know them deeply and can teach others.
