SEE BELOW FOR ADDENDUM – edited Friday morning July 31
Ok, friends, I am in need of your opinion on a situation that has arisen. I have a decision to make pertaining to my job as a pharmacist and I’m praying that the Lord will give me His wisdom in this.
I work two days a week as a pharmacist. The pharmacy owner has decided to become a retailer for the Georgia Lottery, which means that lottery tickets will be sold out of the business in approximately 6-8 weeks. When I spoke to the pharmacy owner today about the situation he told me that the tickets will be sold from the front register and not out of the area where medications are dispensed. He also told me that this is a great way for him to make money and also help with the HOPE scholarship, which is the college scholarship that all Georgia students receive who maintain a certain gradepoint average.
I said, “But this is legalized gambling and I’m not sure I can continue working here after this goes in.”
He gave me several reasons why it will be good for the pharmacy, none of which are good for anyone who plays the lottery. I believe that if I continue working there, it is basically my endorsement of the lottery, even if I never sell a ticket.
So, I have to make a decision about whether I can continue to work at this pharmacy or not. I have not even had time to look up any Scriptures pertaining to this so if any come to your mind, please share them. What are your thoughts about the lottery? Would you work at a place where lottery tickets are being sold? I am eager to hear your thoughts and would appreciate your prayers as I make this decision.
ADDENDUM:
I have spent some time in the Word on this issue this morning and here is a bit more info to ponder.
- No where does the Bible specifically prohibit gambling. (My husband reminded me of this from the Crown Financial Course that we took a couple of years ago.)
- The Word does speak of the sin of greed (Prov. 1: 19, 1 Tim 6: 9-10)and the love of money being the root of all evil.
- Many people gamble because they are desiring to be rich over and above any income that they earn working (assuming they work).
- Mark 9:42 and 29-50, Leviticus 19:14, Romans 14: 12-13 all command we, as Christians, not to be a stumbling block to other and especially weaker Christians.
- Luke 11: 39 warns us to not be like the Pharisees who live outwardly clean lives but are filthy on the inside.
- James 3: 2 reminds us that teachers of the Word are held to a higher standard than the non-teacher of the Word.
So, while gambling is not specifically prohibited in the Word, AND we are called to be salt and light to a dark world, AND I will NOT be selling the lottery tickets personally, my concern now is whether my presence in that pharmacy (the one day per week that I work) would be saying that I condone the lottery and would be a stumbling block to others. In addition, and this is a very big deal to me: as a called-by-God teacher and speaker of God’s Word, is it wrong for me work in that atmosphere and to accept a wage from my employer where the money will come from proceeds from the lottery?
My gut feeling is that I should not be there. My husband’s opinion differs from mine, but he is very much in favor of me doing what I feel the Lord is telling me to do. I am eager to hear your thoughts, dear readers. Ultimately, I’m seeking God’s ruling on this because He has the final say.
