“…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:10
Monopoly has been the game of our “end of summer.” A game I used to never want to open took hold and at least one of my sons wants to play as often as time will allow. One evening, luck was in my favor, I purchased and owned the coveted Board Walk and Park Place property set. Not just the set, but complete with hotels! I may have also had another property set and railroads. It was my game to win, but the win wasn’t quite as important to me that night. The son who loves Monopoly was hanging in there barely. My other son who had been the recipient of some life blows outside of the game, had a huge amount of properties but no sets and with little value. Not to mention he needed a boost of love and as he mortgaged all of his properties, sniffed up the runny nose he was dealing with, and sighed over his agitation because he never wanted to play in the first place, I did something neither of them could ever fathom. I slid my coveted monopoly, Board Walk and Park place, complete with hotels to his empty side of the board where no money remained, not one property, just “nothing.” What he said next blew me away.
“Mom, I went from having nothing to having everything.”
My son, over a game of Monopoly captured a spiritual truth I had been trying to “plant” (you know one of those seeds I mentioned last week?) in one move of a board game, but it was profound. He thought it was one of his original best quotes as I erupted in excitement over his statement, and I said, “you know that is a truth in the Bible?” He didn’t quite believe me, until I found the verse.
“…sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” 2 Corinthians 6:10
As I reflected on this truth I was reminded of how many times “nothing” has become “everything” in my life since I began to surrender. When I walked away from a career to more closely follow God and align with my family, my paycheck went to nothing while I gained my time, freedom, family, and a closer walk with the Lord—everything. When I walked away from the best health care plan I had ever held to a sharing program that would cover emergency medical care and my health remained better than when I had been on a great plan—everything. When I sold a home to move on God’s leading and wasn’t sure where we would move, leaving car load upon car load of donations wherever they may fit best to just a few years later end up in my largest home filled with all the things that really matter for about half the cost—-everything. When I gave up my pride to face people I had hurt or difficult conversations I needed to have and God turned a “nothing” relationship into an “everything” one.
Time and again God has proven His steady faithfulness that when I give him my “monopoly,” the things I think I have full control of, and have “nothing” left, He blesses me so abundantly I am left with “everything” I ever need. But, it requires tremendous faith to give up that which we find safety and security in without knowing what will happen.
When I traded my powerful “monopoly” to my son that night, he had to mortgage it and turn it all in for cash and still lost anyway…… to which I lost control and my other son dominated and took over…. I could see that as a loss, but I don’t. My sons realized a powerful truth, that just when we think something may be over, God can step in and provide a miracle. They also learned what compassion looks like, that sometimes we take a hit for someone to lift them back up. They learned when all hope seems lost; we never know what is coming around the corner to our aid. Somehow God used a Monopoly game to teach us big things and that sure felt like “everything” to me.
I’m not sure what “monopoly” you have in your life. What you believe to have exclusive ownership over, a feeling of control that possibly brings you safety, security, peace? What would it take for you to slide your “monopoly” across the table to God to see what He will do with it? How may He use that to refill you more abundantly?
Jesus tells a story about treasure in Matthew 13:44-46. He shares:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field.”
The man took his “monopoly”, slid it across the table, and gained “everything.”
I hope that our Father in Heaven can reveal to you what “monopoly” you are holding and how you can surrender it to gain so much more than you ever thought you had with a deeper sense of safety, security, and peace than before.
Passing my monopoly across the table, Julie
Father, Today I Surrender:
My Monopoly
Show me the next step I should take.