Matthew’s Future

TUES., FEB. 27, 1990, 6:50 AM
FARM, STUDY

Hear again, o son, that you are not a prophet, so I will not offer you words of prophesy about this youngest son of yours. Instead, as is My custom, I give to you a Teaching with My observations on the opportunities and pitfalls of his apparent good fortune.

The numbers on the ticket and the numbers selected seem to match, and so there is anticipation, and rightly so. Yet this anticipation is a spiritual challenge, for surprises are always possible… surprises which mean that the prize is not what was expected. To allow one’s mind and spirit to become locked on some anticipated award and then have that anticipation diminished or even completely unfulfilled, for some bizarre reason, is a true spiritual exercise. I’m not saying this will happen, but until all the legalities have been worked out such a wrenching possibility must be considered. And it is good for the soul to truly consider: “suppose the prize is not mine to have?!”

If the legalities all work in his favor, however, Matthew faces other spiritual challenges. It is ironic, isn’t it, that while he is semi-voluntarily in a program to help him change destructive habits and behaviors and, ideally, start on a “new”, more productive life the hand of chance offers him an unmerited reward. He could emerge this next week renewed in spirit and supplied with an income for his “working life.” This juxtaposition would offer him the opportunity to let this good fortune be part of the renewed life toward which this program should have motivated him.

If he does begin to receive this projected amount of income he takes on many responsibilities. There are myriad “no account” uses for money that is not actually needed for necessities. There shall be temptations galore, with advice that comes from those who are sincere, those who are truly needy, and those who are greedy, dishonest, and even hostile. “Friends” shall multiply, and so shall enemies. There shall be times when Matthew may wish that good fortune had not been thrust upon him. This is spiritual challenge which he must anticipate.

Conversely, he also could have the opportunities for using this income in some positive ways of his choosing. And, yes, it is a challenge of spirit to truly consider the merits of various ways that this fortune can be utilized, for good of self and good of others. It shall be a challenge to avoid or reject certain temptations toward ostentation or obvious but delightful waste. The greater challenge is to carefully (even prayerfully, I would recommend, for, yes, I am willing to help) decide how resources can be used, responsibly and charitably.

Matthew shall now have opportunities never possible in his present meager financial state, to be a dispenser of justice and of mercy. He can assess how people have treated him in the past and can judge whether and how he can reward those who have been true friends. More challenging, however, is how he shall now treat those who have rejected him, have scorned him or have just ignored him. It shall be easy to “go for” justice… do unto others as they have done to you. And there is some immediate, but generally short-lived, satisfaction in this.

It shall be harder to be forgiving and merciful. The difficulty comes in not being too righteous or too condescending. Your culture bestows power along with money. Matthew shall have new power, if this good fortune sustains. Some broken relationships can be healed. Others shall remain broken or even shattered further. Yet he must continually be reminded that this is just a new and powerful spiritual challenge. And he shall experience surprises in which relationship are healed through his new opportunities and which are not.