Why I Gave up Poker

I've been playing poker since I was in elementary school. I had a crush on Doug someone or other, and our families would get together, and he, being older, wiser and cuter, taught me to play.

When poker became popular again, I learned the new rules and tried my hand at it. In fact, I was pretty good! I found a sale and bought all our staff these beautiful poker sets, complete with wooden turntable base and nickle plated handle.

We got together and played poker nearly every week, with different staff coming and going, and a die-hard few regulars. I asked a few ex-gambler staffers if they thought it was alright, and they said they didn't care, but they never came to the tournaments. And of course, we never played for money; just chips.

We all went camping and played at the campground, played during the Rolling Stones concert, played and played and played. I, as reigning champ, felt pretty good about myself! Until one day, a staff member decided she couldn't play anymore. She wouldn't divulge the reason, but just kind of shrugged, and said she was tired of it. At the same time, another staff member said he could no longer play anymore. He said it was wrong, but didn't extrapolate as to why. Well, with our host having backed out, it just kind of dwindled.

Then one day, someone close to me, who, like me, enjoyed the game and thought she was pretty good at it, stumbled onto internet gambling. No longer was it good enough to just play for fun, and the thrill of the win, but pride got the better of her and she began to think she could win big!

But, as all gambling addicts find out, they soon are trapped into a cycle of no returns, where small gains are lost along the way to higher stakes.

It was that moment that turned me around. I got disgusted at the wiles of the enemy. How dare he take something innocent and fun, and suck people into the vortex where money becomes master.

I got angry. I gave up my MSN poker account. I deleted my iPhone Zynga account. I gave up my swanky poker set. And I swore to never play the game again, even in fun.

I didn't know the pull of a gambler. Just like alcohol, you never know if you will be one who succumbs to its grip. Years ago I made the decision to refrain from drinking. Not because it's is a sin, but for the sake of my Christian brothers and sisters who were not able to partake without abusing it.

There is Biblical example for this decision. Paul said, "Looking at it one way, you could say, 'Anything goes. Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.' But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well." (1 Corinthians 10:23&24 The Message.)

The Amplified translation ends it this way, and so will I: "Let no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but rather, let him seek the welfare of his neighbour."

How does this post make you feel when it comes to giving up something you enjoy, in order to love your neighbour?