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March 7, 2005
The Gamble
Each year Ashley’s school has a raffle to earn money for something big at her school. One year the raffle money went toward the purchase of a curtain in the gym. Another year, they purchased an awning that runs the length of the back of the school. This way when it’s raining the kids won’t get wet as they enter or leave their parents cars. They have bought more, only I can’t remember at this moment.
The raffle tickets cost $1 each and you get to choose from a list of things that you would like to win. There is no way that I could remember everything on that list, but some things included:
*a trip
*country ham from a local store
*Nintendo DS and game
*DVD player and movie
*a free gallon of Kroger milk once a week for a year
*basketball signed by Tubby Smith
*TV
*Lexmark printer
We have bought raffle tickets every year and never won anything, but this year our name was drawn! We won the free milk once a week for a year! Unbelievably, I only bought five raffle tickets this year. Milk is over $3 a gallon, so we won BIG TIME!
This afternoon after I picked up the certificates, I told a fellow parent about our good fortune. She gave me a puzzled look when I said that we had won the milk so I said, “You know, where you got to pick what you wanted from the raffle tickets.”
Understanding filled her face. “We consider that gambling, so we don’t participate in that.” Although I had never looked at the raffle this way, I quickly agreed that it definitely was a gamble!
I know that many churches have problems with gambling. Heck, I don’t know where our church stands on that subject. I only know that I don’t have a problem with it. If you want to buy raffle tickets, Lottery tickets, play BINGO, and go to Vegas – whatever – that would not be a sin in my book. It’s fun to take a chance and play as long as no one is getting hurt.
Anyway, that’s fine that this parent feels that way. I respect her opinion and would never criticize her for it; it just caught me off guard, especially when the money is going to help the kids in one way or another. I wonder how her church would feel if someone won the lottery and wanted to donate a bundle. Somehow, I don’t think they would have a problem accepting it.
Posted by tami at March 7, 2005 4:16 PM
Comments
Wow, you've definitely "got milk"! That's a great prize.
Posted by: Kimberley at March 8, 2005 7:10 PM
NOW I CAN COME OVER FOR HOT CHOCOLATE...HA HA
GLAD YOU WON....
Posted by: AUNT PATT at March 9, 2005 6:10 AM
My Headmaster won't support bingo but he will run raffles - very odd!
Posted by: Miss L at March 9, 2005 4:22 PM
Our Senior pastor has said not only would he take it; he'd name the building after the donor if necessary!
Personally I look at gambling the same way I look at drinking--its all in how you go about it. There are lots of passages on public drunkeness but none on complete prohibition. There are lots of verses on wasting your money, but none on buying raffle tickets.
I always remember that God is a God of the heart.
Posted by: Dana at March 10, 2005 7:52 AM
Now, that country ham sounds delicious. In the name of religion it's banned here which is very hard to get your head round.
Posted by: lynne at March 12, 2005 12:08 PM