The Temptation of $425 million

               On Monday, I saw a sign that the Powerball jackpot for this coming Wednesday (tonight) was $400 million.  I was purchasing a drink at 7-11 and didn’t give a second thought about spending $2 on a ticket.  Last night, I arrive at the hotel for the Catholic Writers Conference and saw a sign that in the hotel store that blinked a total of $425 for Powerball. 

               As I laid my tired body down in bed last night, I tried to think of something that would halt my speeding brain so that I could sleep.  I started to fanaticize about what my husband and I would do with $425 million, when my eyes suddenly opened and I realized that wishing to be a winner of the lottery is a great temptation to greed.

               Although I spent several years in my early career as a foreign exchange trader, trading millions of dollars each day, I can’t say that I have any idea of how I would measure $425 million.  My first thought was that we could put $300 million in a foundation, avoid a whole boat load of taxes and be able to support the multitude of causes that we love.  Perhaps generous thoughts, but still not pure.

               God has given me an amazing husband, a wonderful son, a nice place to live and, most importantly a strong faith to live each day.  How might winning $425 million upset what God has planned for me, for my husband and my son?  How many of the seven deadly sins could be attributed to my desire to win $425 million?  Certainly greed, pride, gluttony and perhaps sloth can be ascribed to the desire for these millions.

               As I closed my eyes to try to get a few hours sleep, I vowed not to buy another lottery ticket.  Today, I’ve walked by the store at least eight times and it seems like the sign gets bigger and brighter by the hour.  Yet I have determined that desiring to win a big jackpot is greedy, at the very least.     

               Being thankful for all that God has, (or has not) given me, is important to my being His faithful daughter.  That grasping for something other than what I have, is a GREAT temptation. I thank God for this little check up on my desires.