by Kelly Moran
for 15 November 1995
Craig is a 23-year-old garbage truck driver in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Ever since he won that chicken sandwich, he was on the lookout. Eventually, he spotted a Wendy's restaurant cup on the top of a heap of garbage in his truck.
The sticker on the cup was still intact. He pulled it off and read, "Congratulations. You have won $200,000 toward a new home."
"I was in shock," he later told the Associated Press. "It said it was worth $200,000, but I didn't believe it. I thought it was another hoax. I pretty much blew it off."
He stuffed it into his pocket and went back to work.
"I remembered it when I got home later and showed my girlfriend," he said.
Craig mailed in the sticker and found out that the prize was legitimate. He was $200,000 richer.
Although he doesn't have to, he and his girlfriend are planning to spend the money on a new house. They are getting married next September.
I could really use $200,000. Everyone has bills, but I really need it. It wouldn't last long, as the sleepless nights can testify.
In Luke 12, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Wow! What is life? It is more than just your stuff.
Jesus then told a story about a rich man, whose only crime seemed to be planning for his future. What he didn't know was that he had no future. That night was his last.
Then Jesus said, "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)
The desire for wealth is a desire of our physical nature, not our Spiritual nature. It's the ultimate selfish desire. Spiritually, those of us who are in Christ are already rich beyond our wildest dreams!
The apostle Paul told the young preacher, Timothy, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)
I want to be rich, but I defiantly ignore the true riches that God has showered upon me. I want to put my hope in my salary, but I need to put my hope in my God. I want to provide for my family, but my doing so denies God's right to provide us with everything we need.
I may not be rich in this present world. The $200,000 sticker may not be mine, no matter how hard I search. But the riches promised by God far surpass the riches promised by Wendy's. (My odds are much better, too.)
The promise of God is that, with faith, God will provide. (Wendy's odds are something like 1 in 1,000,000.)
So, what do I do? Keep pulling stickers? Scratching tickets? Pray for the big payoff?
How about trusting the One who created made me to take care of me.
It's really harder than it sounds.
It continually confounds me.
Yet, I struggle to recognize the riches that God showers upon me, even as I struggle to trust Him with my future. God promises. Yet I continue to be stingy in my relationship with Him.
God, I want to be rich ... toward you.
Published weekly for 4 years and 6 weeks.
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All Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version (unless otherwise noted).
Copyright 1995 by Kelly Moran.