Bibleopoly    

Most men, indeed, play at religion as they play at games, religion itself being of all games the one most universally played.  A.W. Tozer

When I was a kid I loved to play board games.  We only had a few channels on TV and we didn’t have cable so kids entertained themselves by interacting with each other. What a concept!  These days they text each other instead of talking and video games are the norm.

I was thinking this morning about the game of Monopoly.  Then I thought why don’t they have Bible Monopoly?  I guess I am behind the times because when I Googled it I found out they have Bibleopoly.  I decided to see what it was about.  Monopoly was played on the premise that you went around the board buying up property and the eventual winner was the person who had a monopoly on all the properties plus all the money.  All other players went bankrupt. 

I did some searching to find out how Bibleopoly is played.  The object of the game is to go around the board landing on cities and the way to win is to build a church on a property by helping others along the way. Instead of a “Go to Jail” card you get a “Go Meditate” card and miss three turns. In the end whoever wins has built a church on their property and everyone gets together to celebrate and the winner gets to name the church.  The problem here is that too many times we get caught up in the building and spend too little time on lost souls. 

I think a new version would better explain what Christianity is all about.  You would still start at “In the Beginning” but the object wouldn’t be to build a church.  The object would be to save souls.  To make this more personal the “Chance” and “Community Chest” cards would be replaced by “Sin” and “Forgiveness” cards.  In this one you have to admit a sin and you are forgiven by the other players.  Instead of building a church as the final goal, you do things for others. In this part when you landed on a city in the Bible you would have to tell other players something you did that week that helped another person and it would have to be something that reflected God as the source instead of you.   Then there is the sacrifice.  When you landed on this one you have to give everything away. 

This game is getting kind of personal isn’t it?  I don’t like this game so much anymore.  I have to confess my sin to others plus I am required to forgive others of their sin and then to top it off I am required to give God the glory and not me.  Then there is the part about giving everything away.  I’ve worked hard to earn what I have so why should I have to give it away?   

Unfortunately Christianity isn’t a game and not everyone will win.  If we look at life from this perspective we are short on time and there are many souls left to be saved.  How will you spend your time?     

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, when I reach the end of my life I want to be able to hear Your words, “well done my good and faithful servant”.  If I want to hear those words I need to be busy now because none of us knows how long we have on this earth but You.  Help me to see this world through Your eyes and help me to go about Your business, saving lost souls. 
   
Scripture: The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.  The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.  He who earnestly seeks good finds favor, but trouble will come to him who seeks evil.  He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.  He who troubles his own house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.  If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner. Proverbs 11:25-31