Leslie M. John
More often than not youth get attracted towards worldly pleasures. The pleasures
would start from earning little money through lotteries, playing games risking
their little money that they would have earned by hard work, or get into habits
like smoking, get addicted to liquor or even drugs. The children and youth who
are growing need to be counseled and be watched adequately.
Sooner
or later otherwise youth get addicted to playing such games and end up in
disasters leading to financial losses and mental agony besides losing peace of
mind. In majority of the cases playing lotteries would not yield lasting
favorable results; but will eventually result in loss. It is truth that no one
keeps winning lotteries or games that they play involving such chances. One day
one might win, but the day will not be far off when the same person ends up in
huge loss.
The wise man King Solomon said: ”Train up a child in the
way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. (Proverbs
22:6)
Psalmist wrote three very touching verses in Psalm 119. They
are:
”Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin
against thee”. (Psalms 119:11)
”I will delight myself in thy statutes: I
will not forget thy word” (Psalms 119:16)
”Thy word is a lamp unto my
feet, and a light unto my path”. (Psalms 119:105)
There is nothing
wrong to be rich and acquire riches in righteous way, but it is certainly wrong
to misuse our resources to acquire wealth by fraudulent methods. The property
inherited by a person from his parents, and the property one gains through hard
work are one's assets. No body wants to put such hard earnings in stakes and
lose.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 reads, ”For even when we were with you,
this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.” It is
true that if we do not work, we do not earn. Prudent Christians also think in
investing in God's work, which will certainly bring forth fruits that are
pleasing to the Lord, and result in the expansion of the Kingdom of God. There
is no doubt that we need to pay our attention to paying our bills and take care
of our family needs. Let us also remember that it is God, who gave us health and
wealth. He, therefore, deserves to be honored with our wealth.
We
should, therefore, be careful when our minds wander in pursuit of earning money
illegally. Jesus told us that no man can serve two masters as we read in Matthew
6:24, ”No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love
the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot
serve God and mammon.” Any earning, which is not legal and that which comes to
us as ”quick-bucks” will not last for our good. Our desire to earn more money
keeps increasing as we increase our pursuit for earning money and focus
increases much on such endeavors. Now, let us also consider another point here.
Proverbs 6:6 reads, ”Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be
wise” Lazy person looses money rather than increasing his wealth. Prudent men
and women save money and increase in wealth and invest and increase money.