“Card Players,” by Theodoor Rombouts (1597-1637)

One reason why my job is better than yours is that when we have meetings I sometimes come away with spiritual insights. When we got together yesterday, for instance, somebody (I actually forget who) said something (I actually forget precisely what) about living by faith, and it sparked the following thought in me.

I’ve always been a little troubled by the resemblance between faith and gambling. I’ve been uncomfortable with the fact that (generally) we condemn gambling, while we encourage people to act in a very gambling-like way in their Christian lives—“Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Luke 17:33).

In fact, I understand a movie was made on that very subject some years back. It was about some kind of pastor, a missionary, I think, who plays cards all the time and justifies it on the grounds that gambling is just part of the life of faith.

He’s right in terms of analogy. But I think I see the difference.

Gambling as we think of it—games of chance—involves risking those things that a) are least significant in the spiritual life, and b) we are obligated to husband responsibly, remembering to assist the poor and the Lord’s work. I think if the Lord were to speak to that gambling pastor, He’d tell him that there’s a better way to throw his wealth away—give it directly to the poor. That would free him from greedy motives, benefit people who really need his money, and permit him to trust the Lord for his daily bread.

The problem with gambling for money, I think, is that it’s not risky enough. Gamblers are really playing for matchsticks, even when great sums change hands. Those who walk with Christ risk their very lives, and all the false gods that provide security in ordinary life go into the pot.