Triple-Word Score

I love to play board games. I think it’s because I love strategy and I can be really competitive. Risk, Monopoly, Chess … I even like to play Scrabble. Yep – Scrabble. I like to play against my wife because the games are always close. She’s really smart and a great speller. Am I a great speller? Nope. Am I smarter than my wife? No way, she’s brilliant. The only thing that allows me to even hang with her is the triple-word score opportunities; those red boxes that turn feeble little words into lexiconical titans. You see, my triple-word score on the word BAG (6pts x 3=18pts) beats Chris’ single score on PLANARIA (10pt x 1=10pts) every time!

Give your opponent a triple-word score, and you could be in serious trouble.

The Bible says we have a very real opponent who is playing hardball. That was made even more evident to me today when I read an article on consumer debt that disturbed me. It said that Americans are carrying more than $2.5 trillion in non-mortgage debt. It’s a staggeringly large number.

I think excessive debt is the Enemy’s triple-word score sin tactic.

You see, when you commit the sin of excessive debt, you may have to face choices that force you into further sin. It’s the sin that gives the Adversary extra points. Here’s why I say that:

If you owe so much to collectors that in order to pay them, you cannot tithe – you commit the sin of robbing God. Say you instead decide to honor God with your tithe, but now you sin by failing to fulfill your obligations to your creditors. Finally, suppose a friend approaches you with a real financial need and you cannot help because you have paid so much to creditors … you cannot help them or tithe.

It is a cunning trap our Enemy has devised. I am so glad that over 400 people have chosen to meet weekly at our church to attend Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University to find a Christ-centered way to become free from this bondage. Keep it up, guys! Help is on the way!