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The first ball came to a stop.
“Our first number in the state’s Multi-Million lottery is ‘2’,” declared the fair skinned, red headed lady as her smile beamed at the TV camera. “Remember that tonight’s drawing is worth $69 million.”
The lottery balls shot into the air and came to rest in order as the red-haired lady dutifully read their numbers.
“Tonight, we celebrate six months of the lottery in our state. We have had two lucky winners and maybe tonight will be your lucky night. So, the Multi-Million lottery number, worth $69 million, is 2-26-9-3-38-25. Good luck!”
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The Rev. Carl looked down from his pulpit at the faithful that had gathered for the Sunday morning sermon. Some smiled in anticipation of the weekly lecture, while others were still feeling the effects of staying up late the night before. A few appeared to be indifferent, and at least two looked as if they would rather be anywhere else than in church. The Rev. Carl took a deep breath to relax his vocal cords. When Sister Matilda finished playing the last note on the church organ, he bellowed a “Good Morning” to everyone.
“I welcome everyone to the Lord’s house,” he declared. “I pray that everybody got a good night’s rest. This morning before our sermon, I have the urgent need to speak to you about financial matters. It would bring me great joy to not have to mention such things, but alas, I must.
I want to personally thank everyone who has generously supported this ministry. But in the last six weeks our tithing has diminished each and every week. I know the closing of the textile mill has had a profound effect on our community’s economy, and I know for a fact it has personally affected many of you present this morning. At times like these we must place our full faith in the grace of the Lord. Sometimes this is difficult to do, but the Lord watches out for and cares for the faithful. When you fulfill your obligation to tithe, the Lord will bless your efforts, and He says you will reap tenfold.
Unfortunately, due to our present financial woes, we will be forced to curtail several ministries. Our daily breakfast for the elderly and infirm will be shortened to five days a week instead of the normal seven. We may even reduce this even further if our financial crisis continues. I can only pray that we do not have to discontinue altogether.
Our daycare center will now be closing at 5:30pm instead of the usual 7pm. I believe this will not cause any undue hardship on anyone. With the mill closing many parents no longer have a need for their children to stay at the center as late.
Also, I have been forced to increase the donation for our burial ceremonies by $20. Hopefully this will help offset our shortages.
Then, too, it almost goes without saying that we will place our expansion plans on hold for the time being. I had hoped to start this coming spring on the groundbreaking for the new parsonage, but this cannot take place under the present conditions.
Not all news this morning is bad. There is some good news. We will continue our Wednesday evening bingo game. The Lord continues to bless our efforts and I urge everyone to support this as the proceeds are vital to our church and ministry. If possible bring a family member or friend with you. Also, please consider donating any winnings back to our church. This would be greatly appreciated.
When I think of the good that is being accomplished by our little game each week, I cannot help but think about how some have chosen to spend their money on less desirable things. As an example, last night was the weekly drawing for the state’s new Multi-Million lottery. As you know, I was a leader in the fight against allowing this vice in our state. Unfortunately, the Devil won this battle and the lottery was overwhelmingly approved. He made have won the battle, but my dear friends, he has by no means won the war. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus, will triumph against all such wickedness!
Even though we all are fighting the fine fight of the faith, I’m afraid some of us have been lured by the possibility of riches to participate in this evilness. Instead of using our precious resources for the good of the community, some of us are buying lottery tickets in the hope of winning ‘big.’ Someone told me the winning number last night was worth $69 million. Of course, we all can dream of what it would be like to have that much money. But, my dear friends, the plain truth is: Purchasing lottery tickets is pure greed. Greed is not of the Lord. The Bible clearly teaches, in the Proverbs, that ‘an inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.’ Yes, we may ‘hastily’ buy a ticket hoping for a grand ‘inheritance,’ but the Lord will not bless our efforts. He knows our actions would be covetous. The apostle Paul spoke of such ones to the Corinthians when he said, ‘But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous.’ Dear brethren, it is a very serious matter.
Some have actually been lured to spend money that is needed for the family on lottery tickets. Their rationale is that the family has a chance of winning big and never having to worry about money again. They have become drunk in their reasoning. Just like a drunk who will take from his family’s necessities to buy liquor, a lottery player will take from his family to buy a ticket. The Bible is clear when it says, ‘But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.’
I can only pray that I never hear of any of you wasting your money by purchasing lottery tickets. Please, instead of spending your money on such foolishness, give to our church. You will be doing the Lord’s will.
Now, before Sister Matilda leads us in another hymn, we will have the deacons pass our collection plate. May the Lord move you to generosity.”
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Later in the afternoon the Rev. Carl sat at his modest desk looking over the donation figures from the morning service.
He sighed deeply as he realized less had been contributed than the Sunday before. Opening the desk’s lower right drawer, he pulled the building plans for the new parsonage out and laid them on top of his desk. Over the past few weeks he had zealously prayed to the Lord for guidance. Should he proceed with building the house and promise the bank payments that may not materialize? Or should the whole project be scrapped?
He reasoned that he had been the pastor of the church for over eight years and a new home was not too much to ask for. A new parsonage would not cost much more than trying to repair the present house. The Rev. Carl did not know if he could stand living another winter in a house with inadequate heat. He was sick with a cold most of last winter and he knew next year would even be worse.
Deep in his heart he wondered at the Lord’s refusal to grant the monies for the new building. He did not want to outright question the will of the Lord, but it was becoming harder to understand why the necessary funds were being denied him and the church. During times of hardship and misery he had always counseled people that sometimes the ways of the Lord are mysterious and unknown to man. But the Lord would always provide a way out of any predicament. All a person had to do was keep the faith and he would be rewarded for his endurance. Now the Rev. Carl found himself praying for such endurance.
The clock on the wall showed almost 1:30 in the afternoon. Pressing the office intercom button, he called to Sister Matilda, who was in her small office preparing the deposit slip for the church donations.
When there was no reply, he called for her again. “Oh, I’m sorry Rev. Carl,” came the excited reply. “I was looking at the internet.”
“You may as well go home and spend the afternoon with your family,” directed Rev. Carl as he made a mental note to have the internet access disconnected to save money.
“Before I do, I need to show you something,” replied Matilda. The Rev. Carl invited her into his office as he quickly folded the building plans and replaced them in his desk drawer.
Sister Matilda burst through his door and slapped a small piece of paper on his desk. She was a large woman with an even larger smile. The Rev. Carl was amazed that she seemed to have gained a few pounds since the morning’s services.
“Sister Matilda, have you lost some weight?” inquired the Rev. Carl.
“Oh, I was hoping someone would notice,” she replied. “But Rev. Carl please look at that ticket.”
He looked down at the piece of paper that she had laid on his desk. Immediately he recognized it as a lottery ticket.
“What are we doing with this, sister?” asked the weary pastor.
“Someone put it in the collection plate,” explained Matilda.
“They put it in the donations?” inquired the Rev. Carl. “Were they trying to be funny or something?”
“I don’t know, Rev.”
“I can see it now,” mused the Rev. Carl. “After my little sermon on the evils of the lottery, someone thought it would be amusing to donate a ticket. Lord, please grant me the patience of Job!”
“Well, I printed the winning number off of the internet,” declared Matilda. “Read me the number and let’s see how close it is.”
“Sister Matilda, I really don’t have the…”
“Oh, come on Rev,” interrupted Matilda. “Let the person who did this have their fun. Besides you probably can get another one of your fire and brimstone sermons out of this. You know those are some of your best lectures.”
“Oh, all right, if it’ll get you to go home and stop this foolishness,” sighed the Rev. Carl as he adjusted his glasses so as to see the printed numbers on the ticket. “Let’s see, the number is: Two, uh, twenty-six, and then a nine, three, thirty-eight, and twenty-five.”
Sister Matilda’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Rev. that’s the number,” she mumbled.
“What?” laughed the Rev. Carl. “Don’t be silly, sister.”
“No, I’m serious, Rev.,” declared Matilda. “Read it again!”
He read the number again and Sister Matilda nodded her head and slowly handed him the paper with the winning number on it. “Oh, my God!” she muttered as she covered her mouth with her hand.
The Rev. Carl stared in shock and disbelief at the ticket and then at the paper. There was no doubt that the numbers matched. It was the winning lottery ticket.
“That ticket’s worth $69 million,” declared Matilda as she slumped into a nearby chair. “$69 million,” she slowly repeated.
They both continued to stare at the ticket until finally the Rev. Carl asked, “Who in their right mind would’ve given this ticket away?”
“Maybe they didn’t know what they had,” offered Matilda. “Maybe your sermon on the evils of the lottery moved them to sacrifice their winnings. I don’t know.”
“Well, we’re going to have to find the owner,” declared the Rev. Carl.
“How?” asked a stunned Matilda. “The law says whoever has the ticket in their hands is the owner. That’s you, Rev.”
“Me?!? Oh, no,” replied the Rev. Carl. “I can’t take this ticket. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Well, if you try to find its owner, everybody and their brother will claim it,” declared Matilda. “Who would you give it to then?”
“Hmmm. Well, all I know is it’s not mine,” reflected the Rev. Carl.
“Yes, it is,” insisted Matilda. “It’s as much yours as it is anybody’s.”
“But I can’t cash this in,” declared the Rev. Carl. “Everyone knows how hard I fought against the lottery in the first place. Now I would look like a hypocrite.”
“But think of all the good things you could do with that much money,” protested Matilda. “Look at all the things you could do for this church and this community. It would help so many people.”
“This is not the Lord’s way,” mused the Rev. Carl. “He would not use such evilness to produce good.”
“But, Rev. Carl, think for a moment,” continued Matilda. “Think about the new parsonage and even the possibility of building a new church. Surely the Lord wants you to have those things.”
For a brief moment the Rev. Carl allowed himself to visualize his new home before he declared, “No, it’s not right, Sister Matilda. If it’s the Lord’s will that we have those things, then He will provide for them in His own way. Not by some ill-gotten gain that can only ruin men’s soul.”
Matilda pursed her lips together and then tersely asked, “So, what are you going to do with it?”
“Well, I don’t want it,” declared the Rev. Carl. “You take it and destroy it.”
“You want me to throw it away?” asked Matilda.
“Yes, please do,” replied the Rev. Carl. “No one should profit from such a thing. Destroy it, please.”
“OK, if you’re sure that’s what you want,” agreed Matilda.
“That’s what must be done,” declared the Rev. Carl. “Do that and then go on home to your family.”
“OK.”
“I’ll see you Monday,” offered the Rev. Carl as he turned his attention back to the weekly donation figures. “We’re going to have to spend a lot of time looking at the church’s budget. I’m afraid it will be necessary to cut expenses even more.”
After Sister Matilda had left, the Rev. Carl once again opened his desk drawer and withdrew the building plans for the new parsonage. Sighing deeply, he closed his eyes and prayed to the Lord for guidance.
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It was early Monday afternoon when the Rev. Carl approached his office. He was surprised to find the lights off.
Unlocking the front door, he opened it to find an empty office. Sister Matilda was not at her desk. He hoped that one of her children was not sick again. They had so much to do this week that he really needed her at work.
Before sitting down to work at his desk, he turned his small portable black-and-white TV on. He always liked watching the news before starting to work. Many times he had found just the right subject to develop his upcoming Sunday sermon around. With his money problems laying heavily on his mind, he readily welcomed any fresh idea.
While starting the coffee maker he was half listening when the newsman said, “We now turn our attention to the lucky winner of the state’s Multi-Million lottery. A divorcee mother of three has laid claim to the prize of $69 million. Our reporter, Stacey Miller, has the story.”
The Rev. Carl turned his full attention to the TV as the reporter said, “Who is the latest person to become a millionaire in our state? It’s none other than Ms. Matilda Stock, a divorcee, and a mother of three. We asked her what she planned to do with all that money.”
Sister Matilda’s bulky image appeared brightly on the TV screen as she answered the reporter’s question, “I haven’t made any plans, but I’m sure I won’t have any problems deciding. I’ve got three precious little ones to care for. I can’t believe this has happened!”
Stacey Miller continued her report, “Ms. Stock did say there was one thing for sure: She will not be sharing any of her winnings with her ex-husband. According to Ms. Stock he hasn’t paid any child support in four years and she hasn’t seen him in five. This is Stacey Miller reporting from the happy home of the Multi-Million lottery winner.”
The Rev. Carl slowly sank into his chair as the newsman continued reporting the story, “The winning ticket was purchased at Wally’s Pawn Shop. Also, Ms. Stock has chosen to take the one-time payoff of $51 million. It is reported that after taxes she will pocket about $32 million. We wish her the best.”
Taking a sip of coffee, the Rev. Carl finally noticed the sealed envelope lying on his desk. He opened it and found a note from Sister Matilda.
Dear Rev. Carl,
Please forgive me for leaving you this way. I must
put the interest of my family first. I pray the Lord
understands and I hope you will, too. I just could
not stand by and watch that much money go to waste.
If you ever need anything please let me know.
Sincerely,
Matilda
The Rev. Carl refolded the letter and placed it back in the envelope. He closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer. Rising from his desk he wadded the envelope and tossed it into the wastebasket. With a swift kick he sent the basket tumbling across the room.
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A few weeks later the Rev. Carl was sitting at his desk reviewing the week’s donation figures. Contributions had risen slightly but the church was still feeling the crunch of a tight economy. Sister Darla, Matilda’s replacement, was busy at her desk. Once again his attention was drawn to the building plans for the parsonage. He studied them for the hundredth time and even allowed himself to daydream about living in such comfort. For a moment he thought he could even smell the fresh paint. With just a little imagination he could actually see the new hardwood floors. He could feel the warmth from the new furnace as he envisioned his study filled with the latest books and religious pamphlets. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone.
The phone kept ringing as the Rev. Carl wondered why Sister Darla had not answered it. Finally in irritation he grabbed the phone.
“Hello, this is Carl.”
“Rev. Carl, this is Matilda,” came the reply. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“No, not at all,” he offered. “I was just looking over some papers. So, how are you doing?”
“Oh, Rev. Carl, everything’s wonderful!” declared Matilda. “The Lord has blessed me and my family in so many ways.”
“Then that is good news,” reflected the Rev. Carl.
“I know you must think I’m evil,” offered Matilda. “But you told me to throw the ticket away and so I figured it was trash and anybody could claim it. So I did.”
“It was not what I had in mind,” declared the Rev. Carl.
“I know,” reflected Matilda. “But things have turned out so wonderful that it must be the work of the Lord.”
“Time will tell,” offered the Rev. Carl.
“So, how’s the church doing?” asked Matilda as she sought to change the subject.
“Things are a little better, but not much,” he surmised. “I had to hire a replacement for you. She’s not working full time the way you were. We can no longer afford it. But we’re getting by.”
“I met her yesterday when I came by the church,” revealed Matilda. “I’ve known Sister Darla for years and I know she will do a good job for you.”
“She’s doing fine,” offered the Rev. Carl. “You came by here yesterday?”
“Yes, I did, but you weren’t there,” replied Matilda. “I dropped a check off. I wanted to contribute to the church.”
“I haven’t seen any check,” reflected the Rev. Carl.
“I gave it to Darla, and she said she would give it to you,” declared Matilda. “It was for a million dollars.”
The Rev. Carl had to think for moment to let the amount of money sink in before asking, “A million dollars?”
“Yes, a million,” replied Matilda. “I thought it was the least I could do with the way I got the ticket and all.”
“The church can’t take money from the lottery. You know that, Matilda,” declared the Rev. Carl. “My whole ministry would become a laughingstock if the public found out where the funds came from.”
“That’s what I thought, too,” offered Matilda. “That’s why I left the check blank. I figured you could make it out to whomever you wanted and work it around where no one would ever find out. That way the church will have all the money it needs and you can build your new parsonage.”
“Well, I don’t know,” protested the Rev. Carl.
“Think about it. You can build your new parsonage!” emphasized Matilda. “No one will ever know where the money came from.”
“I will know, and the Lord will, too,” offered the Rev. Carl.
“He already knows and as far as I can see he has no objections,” reflected Matilda. “In fact, I feel as blessed as I ever have. You can too, Rev.”
“Well, it was nice of you to make the offer,” declared the Rev. Carl.
“Please, Rev. Carl, just think about it,” begged Matilda.
“I will pray about it,” he offered.
“Please do,” she said. “And take care of yourself. OK?”
“I will.”
“Goodbye, Rev. Carl.”
“Goodbye, Matilda.”
The Rev. Carl placed the receiver back onto the phone. He walked into Darla’s office and found it empty. An envelope with his name on it was resting on her desk. He tore it open and read the note.
Dear Rev. Carl,
Matilda brought a blank check by to contribute
to the church. I took it from her but I know you
are totally against receiving anything that has to
do with the lottery. I respect your feelings but I
just cannot see this money going to waste. I’ve
made the check out in my name and I’m going to
keep it. I know you can find someone to replace
me at work. Please forgive me.
Darla
The Rev. Carl rubbed his face with his hand and thought about calling the police. He quickly realized that if the police became involved it would become public knowledge as to how the church received the money. If that happened his ministry would collapse from the ridicule. He wadded the paper and threw it into the trash can. The can went flying across the room from the impact of the kick. Muttering to himself the Rev. Carl walked back to his office and flopped down on his chair.
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The man pulled his overcoat closer as he approached Wally’s Pawn Shop. A sign in the window said, “Lottery tickets sold here.” After opening the door, he walked directly to the counter.
“Hello, Rev.” said the man behind the counter. “The usual?”
“Yes, please.”
“That’ll be $20.”
“Thank you.”
“See you next week, Rev.”
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The lonely figure huddled in his blanket as he sat watching the small TV. Even with the blanket he could still feel the cold rushing in from the outside.
The first ball came to a stop. “Our first number in the state’s Multi-Million lottery is ‘8’,” declared the fair skinned, red headed lady as her smile beamed at the TV camera. “Remember that tonight’s drawing is worth $66 million.” The lottery balls shot into the air and came to rest in order as the red-haired lady dutifully read their numbers.
“Tonight, we celebrate three years of the lottery in our state. Over the years we’ve had many lucky winners and maybe tonight will be your lucky night. So, the Multi-Million lottery number, worth $66 million, is 8-17-3-38-35-33. Good luck!”
The man scanned all the numbers of the tickets he had. In disgust he wadded them together and tossed them toward the waste basket. He closed his eyes and mumbled, “Maybe next week.”
He coughed as the cold made him shiver. Staring at the TV he again muttered, “Maybe next week.”
THE END
Copyright ©2006 by Jerry W. Crews
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