“All hard work brings a profit, but mere
talk leads only to poverty.” Proverbs
14:23
ESSAY:
"Rich Seiber, Come on down. You're the
next contestant on The Price Is Right."
Oh how I long to hear those words. Especially lately. Since I have been unemployed for the last two and a half months, I have reinvigorated my fondness for game shows. My six-year-old son Parker and I have been enjoying game show reruns on the Game Show Network, GSN. One of his favorite phrases to say around the house is, "I'd like to buy a vowel please, Pat."
In that way, he is definitely his father's son. I have vivid memories of me at a young age. My Grandma would place me in my crib for nap time. But I didn't nap. Instead I would invent and host game shows in my head. My favorite one was where you had to find words inside of another word. For example, if your word was "Grandma" you would get a point for "grand," and a point for "and," and a point for "ma," and so on.
My love for game shows didn't end there. When I was a senior in high school I was interviewed by our local metropolitan newspaper and asked what I wanted to be when I finished college. "He wants to become a television game show host" is a direct line from the article.
Well, that goal I haven't met...yet. But with all this free time on my hands I have returned lovingly to my longing for programs hosted by Regis Philbin and Alex Trebek. More than just the free time, though, I think when you are unemployed you tend to focus on the need for money. That is what game shows are all about. That quick fix and emotional high that money can provide.
Oh how I long to hear those words. Especially lately. Since I have been unemployed for the last two and a half months, I have reinvigorated my fondness for game shows. My six-year-old son Parker and I have been enjoying game show reruns on the Game Show Network, GSN. One of his favorite phrases to say around the house is, "I'd like to buy a vowel please, Pat."
In that way, he is definitely his father's son. I have vivid memories of me at a young age. My Grandma would place me in my crib for nap time. But I didn't nap. Instead I would invent and host game shows in my head. My favorite one was where you had to find words inside of another word. For example, if your word was "Grandma" you would get a point for "grand," and a point for "and," and a point for "ma," and so on.
My love for game shows didn't end there. When I was a senior in high school I was interviewed by our local metropolitan newspaper and asked what I wanted to be when I finished college. "He wants to become a television game show host" is a direct line from the article.
Well, that goal I haven't met...yet. But with all this free time on my hands I have returned lovingly to my longing for programs hosted by Regis Philbin and Alex Trebek. More than just the free time, though, I think when you are unemployed you tend to focus on the need for money. That is what game shows are all about. That quick fix and emotional high that money can provide.
Shortly
after I lost my job my family won $250 in a Little League raffle. At the
time I viewed it as an answer to prayer, a method that God was using to
provide for my family. Since then I have been wondering and hoping
that God will continue to use a form of winning as His way of provision --
hence the increased interest in game shows.
But "survey says" that's not likely to be the way it is done. The book of Proverbs is full of reminders to work hard and rely on your diligence to provide for you and your family.
Proverbs 14:23 says "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." One chapter earlier it says, "A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied" (Proverbs 13:4).
So I can use a lifeline and phone all the friends I want but my final answer of provision is going to have to come from a job not Jeopardy.
But "survey says" that's not likely to be the way it is done. The book of Proverbs is full of reminders to work hard and rely on your diligence to provide for you and your family.
Proverbs 14:23 says "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." One chapter earlier it says, "A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied" (Proverbs 13:4).
So I can use a lifeline and phone all the friends I want but my final answer of provision is going to have to come from a job not Jeopardy.
APPLICATION:
When
we expect game show or lottery winnings to provide for our needs and our
family’s needs, we are living in fantasy land. God expects us to work hard and
do our part to put food on the table and a roof over our heads. He can
certainly provide in other ways, and ultimately everything we have is from Him.
But that doesn’t give us the right or permission to be lazy. If you are
unemployed, in humility, seek and pray hard for that new job opportunity. Or if
you know of someone who is unemployed but honestly seeking to provide for
themselves and their family, be a tangible source of encouragement to them.
Send them a greeting card to cheer them up. Buy them a grocery store gift card.
Or recommend them to someone you know who is hiring. Help them help themselves.
This essay is from my book More Autism and Awesometism: Devotionals From and About a Special Needs Family.
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