the lottery - one person's view

So I'm soaking in the election results... pretty intriguing stuff...

and I was just thinkin'...

one interesting ballot initiative gave voters the choice to establish a state lottery... I happen to believe that gambling is a particularly insidious vice which can trap a person really quickly. I know that gambling victimizes the poorest segment of the population, and devours those least equipped to defend themselves... and I know a bit more...

One of my dearest friends spent 44 months in federal prison because of a series of bad decisions which began with betting on college football games. He lost his job, his wife, his kids and his freedom... to say I am against state sponsored gambling would be putting it mildly.

Well, the people spoke last Tuesday and passed the measure... and Arkansas became the 43rd state to have a lottery.

A friend of mine was bemoaning the outcome of the vote to a preacher's wife today... and she had an interesting 'take' on the lottery 'coming to Arkansas'...

"When the lottery passed in the state where we used to live, our benevolence exploded!" she lamented.

I would like to believe she saw this 'explosion' as a a great opportunity to serve and help and counsel hurting people... but I think she was complaining about the strain it put on the 'church budget'... maybe they had to dip into their church savings account... OK, I'll stop...

who knows...

I know God is in control and I know His ways are so far above mine... and if He chooses to use something which I perceive to be evil to His glory by placing hurting people in our path whom we can help and counsel... who am I to argue?

oh, well... just thinkin'...