The BINGO Game

We went to a dude ranch.
The children were young and it was the perfect vacation for them.
Anyone who knows me will remember that as a girl, a horse ran away with me on it.
I was a bit skeptical about riding horses, which is what you do at a dude ranch.

I had the excuse of needing to take care of the youngest.
My husband could be the brave one, the nice one, the one who went riding with the others.
I stayed behind, grateful to have four feet on the ground.
But swings sets and shuffleboard only go so far.

The dude ranch had beautiful vistas, a lake to fish or paddle boat on, and many activities.
There was something for everyone, even country line dancing at night.
There were log cabins, and fireplaces with antlered deer heads mounted above them.
There were no locks on the doors, no phones, no TV, just beauty, nature, and BINGO.

My children checked the activity board each day, and saw a BINGO game on the schedule.
The older ones decided they would play.
I was back at the cabin while the youngest one took her nap.
My husband was the designated BINGO player.

It cost one dollar a card to play.
There were the serious BINGO players who played multiple cards at once.
Then there were us; four children, four dollars, four cards, plus my husband as well.
I could hear the announcer call out the numbers as I tried to read my book.

Suddenly, I heard loud cheers and laughter.
I heard squeals of delight and the familiar, MOM! MOM! being called.
I ran to open the cabin door and to my surprise I saw my oldest son running towards me.
In his hand I saw something flapping wildly.

Mom, I won! I won!
Over and over I heard those words until the flapping stilled and I saw money in his hand.
I won $50.00!
Sure enough there it was, not flapping any more, but lying in the palm of his hand.

I thought of the serious BINGO players with their multiple cards.
I thought of my young son, still with a voice that had not changed, yelling, I won! I won!
My husband was walking behind him with the other three in tow.
The youngest was waking up from her nap.

How exciting! I said, as I rubbed his head.

I won on: O-67.
Who knew?
That number is forever etched in his brain.
There were many smiles that night at dinner along with a few scoffers and grimaces.

He never noticed.
He hid his money in a safe place because there were no locks on the doors.
He wanted to save up for something special, so it never burned a hole in his pocket.
He didn’t play again that week; there was no need.

Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And He told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry.’ ” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself, but is not rich towards God. (Luke 12:13-21)

Eat, drink, and be merry.
The way of the world.
Immediate gratification today, with no thought of tomorrow.

God says that is foolish.
God does not look down on wealth; many Godly examples in Scripture were wealthy.
God DOES look down on making money an idol.
God disapproves when we elevate money and the acquisition of money above HIM.

Whatever we have comes from God.
It is His; we are just using it for a while.
What are we using it for?
What does our checkbook say about what is important to us?

We need to plan, but we have to write our plans in pencil.
God has veto power over our plans and our money.
It is foolish to think otherwise.

We are not self-made men and women.
We are God-made men and women.

All we have and all we are belong to HIM.
We hold all of our earthly treasure loosely.
One day, we will run to Him, not with money flapping in our hands.
Rather, we will run to Him with crowns to lay at His feet.
And that is how it should be!