Give and Take II

Let's head back to the "color-up" moment, where a man took one of our small poker chips to create a big 500-chip gain for himself.

We told the woman sitting next to us about a case where Jesus could have used His gift of miraculous healing en masse, but He didn't.  It happened during a trip to a pool in Bethesda....

One who was there had been an invalid for 38 years.  When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?" - John 5:5-6

At first, this may seem like a foolish question.  Who wouldn't want to get well, after years of infirmity?  But Jesus asked before He healed (verses 8-9) -- not wanting to presume anything about this invalid.

The man who reached for our "25 chip" was presumptuous.  (In fact, some might call it outright stealing.)  That approach can get you in trouble, as an army of Israel learned the hard way....

And the Lord said unto me, Say unto them, Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.  So I spake unto you; and you would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill. - Deuteronomy 1:42-43 (KJV)

God told Moses to warn Israel not to go to battle.  Moses did.  But some soldiers went -- and wound up chased and destroyed by their foe (verse 44).

In the case of that poker night, the far better approach was to wait for someone to display a giving spirit.  It's actually the way which should leave everyone happy -- including God.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. - II Corinthians 9:7

Admittedly, we didn't think of splitting our small stack of 50 chips with that other man.  Shame on us for that.  But reaching over and taking from our stack wasn't the right answer, either.  That put us under a gift "guilt cloud."

We've faced this with men in church congregation we've attended.  We've had to remind them the Bible says, "Ask and you shall receive" (John 16:24) - it does not say, "Take and maybe they won't notice."

Ministers who criticize poker have a point, when they say the game emphasizes taking as opposed to giving. The player who takes everyone else's chips ultimately wins.  But taking short cuts during that process is presumptuous, selfish and arguably unethical.

....Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." - Acts 20:35b