Completely astonished --
So, I have to say that people amaze me. I am just astonished at some people.
This weekend's MegaMillions jackpot is up to $640 million. It is the highest jackpot in MegaMillion's history and I'm pretty sure in lottery history. And let me tell you... working at a grocery store the last three days has taught me a lot about people and money and lottery.
Today alone our store probably sold almost 4, maybe even 5 or 6, thousand dollars worth of MegaMillion's lottery tickets. And every customer made the following statement: "I am not sure what all I would do with that much. But I will be sure to remember the person who sold it to me." Now, I cannot even tell you how many times I have heard that statement made in the almost 8 years I have worked Hy-Vee customer service. But I can tell you that no one has ever (and probably never will) followed through with that. But that's besides the point.
The point is that people just amazed me today. The amount of money they were willing to spend in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, they would be that one in 6 million who won the jackpot and had life handed to them on a golden platter. Now, I did sell tickets to a few friends, co-workers and even my mom. But they only bought one or two and laughed at their own silliness, knowing that the chances are/were slim to none. But there were others who spent upwards of 100 dollars firmly believing that they will be the ones to win. And what's crazy is that they were already talking about how they won't bother to show up to work on Monday.
Now, what really amazes me is what some people said they would spend the money on. Some said they would buy a mansion. Some said they would quit their job and travel the world. Some said they would support their kids forever. Some said they had no idea. No one I talked to said they would give it away.
My mom and I have always talked about what we would do if we were to win. Just a part of us dreaming about the "what ifs of life." We would pay off all our debt. Save for my sibling's college educations. Buy new cars. Mom would get her dream house. Dad could get whatever bike he wanted. But that would only touch a fraction of what the jackpot is worth. For my mom and our family, the majority of it would go to the Church, to missions and to LCU. Not to get some building named in our honor. But to make a difference in the Kingdom. Because here's the reality.... people in the Western Church have enough money to make such a huge difference. But their money goes else where. And my mom and our family wouldn't want that to be true of us if we were to win.
With the $640 million jackpot, poverty could be ended for so many in the world. Schools could stay open, families could live together, child labor could be ended and the Church could support all of it's workers. Poverty could be majorly cut down, if not eliminated. But alas, my mom and I won't win the $640 million jackpot and that money probably won't be dispersed among the Churches, missionaries, orphanages, schools and hospitals around the world that are trying their best to touch the lives of the world's population in an effort to bring them into the Kingdom.
So tonight, I am just astonished by people and thinking about that $640 million MegaMillions jackpot. Wondering just what will be done with it. And how much the Kingdom could use it. It also makes me think of Jesus' words in the Gospel of Matthew when He is preaching to the crowds on the hillside. He was talking to them about storing up treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy when our treasure should be in heaven where it can't be touched or destroyed or lost. And how man can't serve both God and money, putting a lot of people in a tough spot on what they are going to choose to value and serve most (Matthew 6:19-24). I wonder what Jesus would have to say about our country today with the MegaMillions jackpot being so high and everyone rushing to buy the winning ticket.
Simply astonishing.
p.s. It's also interesting to note that the jackpot amount is only a fraction of what our nation spends daily. No wonder we are in a massive economic crisis and debt up to our eyeballs! Thank you Congress and Mr. President. Way to run us into the ground more than ever!
p.s. x 2 - I don't see anything wrong with buying a ticket every now and then. My mom and I both do sometimes (and by sometimes I mean like once or twice a year). But spending hundreds of dollars every week or month on tickets just isn't right in my mind.
This weekend's MegaMillions jackpot is up to $640 million. It is the highest jackpot in MegaMillion's history and I'm pretty sure in lottery history. And let me tell you... working at a grocery store the last three days has taught me a lot about people and money and lottery.
Today alone our store probably sold almost 4, maybe even 5 or 6, thousand dollars worth of MegaMillion's lottery tickets. And every customer made the following statement: "I am not sure what all I would do with that much. But I will be sure to remember the person who sold it to me." Now, I cannot even tell you how many times I have heard that statement made in the almost 8 years I have worked Hy-Vee customer service. But I can tell you that no one has ever (and probably never will) followed through with that. But that's besides the point.
The point is that people just amazed me today. The amount of money they were willing to spend in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, they would be that one in 6 million who won the jackpot and had life handed to them on a golden platter. Now, I did sell tickets to a few friends, co-workers and even my mom. But they only bought one or two and laughed at their own silliness, knowing that the chances are/were slim to none. But there were others who spent upwards of 100 dollars firmly believing that they will be the ones to win. And what's crazy is that they were already talking about how they won't bother to show up to work on Monday.
Now, what really amazes me is what some people said they would spend the money on. Some said they would buy a mansion. Some said they would quit their job and travel the world. Some said they would support their kids forever. Some said they had no idea. No one I talked to said they would give it away.
My mom and I have always talked about what we would do if we were to win. Just a part of us dreaming about the "what ifs of life." We would pay off all our debt. Save for my sibling's college educations. Buy new cars. Mom would get her dream house. Dad could get whatever bike he wanted. But that would only touch a fraction of what the jackpot is worth. For my mom and our family, the majority of it would go to the Church, to missions and to LCU. Not to get some building named in our honor. But to make a difference in the Kingdom. Because here's the reality.... people in the Western Church have enough money to make such a huge difference. But their money goes else where. And my mom and our family wouldn't want that to be true of us if we were to win.
With the $640 million jackpot, poverty could be ended for so many in the world. Schools could stay open, families could live together, child labor could be ended and the Church could support all of it's workers. Poverty could be majorly cut down, if not eliminated. But alas, my mom and I won't win the $640 million jackpot and that money probably won't be dispersed among the Churches, missionaries, orphanages, schools and hospitals around the world that are trying their best to touch the lives of the world's population in an effort to bring them into the Kingdom.
So tonight, I am just astonished by people and thinking about that $640 million MegaMillions jackpot. Wondering just what will be done with it. And how much the Kingdom could use it. It also makes me think of Jesus' words in the Gospel of Matthew when He is preaching to the crowds on the hillside. He was talking to them about storing up treasure on earth where moth and rust destroy when our treasure should be in heaven where it can't be touched or destroyed or lost. And how man can't serve both God and money, putting a lot of people in a tough spot on what they are going to choose to value and serve most (Matthew 6:19-24). I wonder what Jesus would have to say about our country today with the MegaMillions jackpot being so high and everyone rushing to buy the winning ticket.
Simply astonishing.
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p.s. It's also interesting to note that the jackpot amount is only a fraction of what our nation spends daily. No wonder we are in a massive economic crisis and debt up to our eyeballs! Thank you Congress and Mr. President. Way to run us into the ground more than ever!
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