According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, the majority of lottery winners end up bankrupt within just a few years of winning.
Take Jack Whittaker, for example. In 2002, he won a $315 million Powerball jackpot, the largest lottery prize ever awarded at the time. At first, he was ecstatic about his newfound wealth and the opportunities it presented.
But as time went on, Whittaker's life began to spiral out of control. He became embroiled in legal battles, was robbed of over $545,000 in cash from his car, and went through a contentious divorce from his wife, Jewell.
Despite his immense wealth, Whittaker's life was far from happy or fulfilling. He reportedly said, "I wish I had torn that ticket up."
It's a tragic reminder that money does not solve all of our problems.
As Christians, we know that true happiness and fulfillment come from a deeper source than our bank account.
Proverbs 23:4-5 warns us: "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle."
That's pretty scary when you think about your identity being tied to money…
How would you like for your entire self-worth to fly away like an eagle?
No thanks!
So let's keep our focus on God and use our resources to bring a little bit of heaven to earth!
Stay wise, stay grounded, and stay true to what really counts.
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