Sow to the Spirit
May 5, 2003
Nobody in the last decade has spoken louder for
the value of values and integrity than William J. Bennett,
Author of The Book of Virtues, and the founder of Empower
America. Bennett has frequently appeared on Fox News and CNN. He
makes $50,000 a speech and usually talks about the importance of
high moral values.
He once wrote, "We should know that too much of
anything, even a good thing, may prove to be our undoing . . .
we need to set definite boundaries on our appetites."
According to a Newsweek article, Bennett didn't
practice what he preached. Records released by several Las Vegas
casinos in July 12, 2002 show that Bennett lost $340,000 at
Caesars in Atlantic City and on April 5 and 6 he lost more than
$500,000. Some casino estimates put his total losses over the
past decade at over $8 million.
Bennett makes no apologies for his gambling and
went so far as to say, "I play fairly high stakes. I adhere to
the law. I don't play the 'milk money.' I don't put my family at
risk, and I don't owe anyone anything." He went on to say, "I've
gambled all my life, and it's never been a moral issue with me."
Meanwhile, on the Sports Page, a headline story
featured Alabama coach Mike Price who was fired when it was
discovered he had spent hundreds of dollars at a topless bar
and, the next morning, a woman who had stayed in his room
overnight, ordered about $1,000 worth of services and charged
them to his hotel room.
How did Coach Price respond? He said it was an
"isolated indiscretion."
You see the problem with both men, don't you? Yes,
they both clearly have an area of their life that's out of
control. That's serious. But another equally serious problem,
that might be easily overlooked, is their minimizing of their
behavior. Bennett doesn't believe he has a gambling problem.
What's a few million dollars down the tube? And Price? It was
just an "isolated" indiscretion.
When Jeremiah said the "heart is more deceitful
than all else" (Jer. 17:9), he didn't just mean the heart can
deceive others, it can deceive the one in whom it beats. Instead
of throwing rocks at these two men, we should all take a long
look at our own lives. Are we involved in some secret behavior
that if it became public would cause our downfall? Are we
viewing some sin as a poodle when it's a deadly constrictor that
threatens to crush our life?
Never forget, we're all one step from taking the
first step in a series of steps that will lead to our ruin. We
would be wise to heed the words, but not the example of Bennett
and set "definite boundaries on our appetites." Even more
crucial, we should burn the words of Paul on our heart,
Galatians 6:7-9, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A
man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful
nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows
to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
By God's grace, let's sow to the Spirit.
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