"Things Money Can't Cure"

The Birmingham News reports today (September 14, 2007) on a story that has been told and retold several times regarding Jack Whittaker of Mount Hope, WV a 315 million dollar Powerball winner in 2002. Jack was already a millionaire, at the time of his "good luck" playing the Powerball. He had a successful pipeline business worth 17 million dollars. Since winning the lottery his wife left him, his only granddaughter died at the age of 17 because of a drug addiction. Jack became a heavy drinker (up to a fifth of vodka a day) though thankfully, as Jack states, "He is done with boozing." Furthermore his daughter, though her cancer is in remission, remains in poor health.

The lessons from Jack's sad plight are perhaps too obvious. Nonetheless, at least for myself, they are worth taking note. The story has the book of Ecclesiastes, from the Old Testament, written all over it. If you are not familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes read it. "All the labor of man is for his mouth, yet his soul is not satisfied" (Ecclesiastes 6:5 NKJV).

I remember a conversation sometime ago with a struggling young mother. I tried to encourage her with the reminder, "You know money can't buy happiness." She looked at me and then down at ground as she replied, "Yeah I know but I would like to find that out for myself." Sadly, Jack's wife, granddaughter and those who know him personally all found out for themselves. As heart wrenching as Jack's story is it is an even greater tragedy that we all want to find it out for ourselves.

When our soul is not satisfied "all (life on earth) is meaningless (vanity)" as the writer states repeatedly in Ecclesiastes. What no doubt appears, as harmless entertainment (playing the lottery) especially, to a millionaire who could easily afford it, may turn out to be a curse. I am aware there are lottery winners who have not suffered Jack's plight. However, the truth remains there are MANY who have suffered - Jack found out. For recreational drug users, I suppose there are those who have never become addicted but that wasn't the case for Jack's granddaughter - "she found out." No doubt some unhappy couples in marriages have stayed together seeking to find happiness through money but Jack and Jewell found out for themselves that it was a myth!

The writer of today's story cogently observes, "Almost five years later, Whittaker is left with things money can't cure: His daughter's cancer, a long list of indiscretions documented in newspapers and court records, and an inability to trust others." As a good friend once told me, "Money can buy things that money cannot fix."

The ancient writers spoke about a divine discontent. Augustine noted what the Bible clearly teaches when he said of man's relationship to God, "Our hearts, O Lord, were made for you, and they are restless until they rest in you." With greater assurance the apostle Paul wrote, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ" (Colossians 2:9-10 NIV). Only in Christ can and will our soul be satisfied. Only in Christ can we find the cure for all the things money can't cure. Find out for yourself!