By David
A. Sargent
Steve Higginbotham asks, “Have you ever
played Milton Bradley's, ‘The Game of LIFE?’
Probably you have at some point.
This game has been around a long time -- since 1860! The object of this game is to cause its
players to make several important ‘life decisions’ and teach them several
important ‘life lessons,’ while having fun all at the same time. Some of those decisions and lessons were:
- · Whether to go straight to work, or go to college first.
- · Paydays are typically better for those who go to college.
- · Whether to buy or not to buy health/life insurance.
- · Having children can bring benefits as well as liabilities.
Life
has many unexpected setbacks, as well as serendipitous blessings. And
ultimately, the decisions you make in life will determine whether you will wind
up in a "Millionaire's Mansion" or the "Poor House."
Then Higginbotham points out an important
lesson that one can learn from the game even though it’s not found in the
game’s instructions: “But one lesson this game didn't teach us; in fact, the
most important lesson of all is this...
When the game is over,
everything goes back in the box!
No
matter how good you were at this game; no matter how much money you were able
to accumulate; no matter whom you were able to beat; at the end of the game, you
had to put everything you had accumulated back in the box.” *
Higginbotham’s observations illustrate the
truthfulness of this passage:
“For
we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing
out.” – 1 Timothy 6:7
“No
matter what you're able to accomplish in life; no matter how much money you are
able to earn in your lifetime; no matter how many people you competed against
and over which you were victorious; when your life is over, it all goes ‘back
in the box.’ You take none of it with
you. Then you'll stand before your
Maker.” – Steve Higginbotham
If we’ve spent all of our time, energy, and
focus on things that “go back into the box,” we will perish and miss out on the
greatest, ETERNAL blessings that God wants to give to us. Please read Matthew 6:19-21.
Our sins condemn us (Romans 6:23), but God
loves us so much that He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins so
that we might receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).
God will save those who place their faith
and trust in Christ (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts
17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized
(immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). He will continue to cleanse those who
continue to place their focus on eternal things by following Jesus and obeying
His Word (1 John 1:7).
In the end, life isn’t a game! But “The Game of Life” can remind us to think
“outside the box” about those things which ARE eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).
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