What happens in Vegas...
You have certainly seen the advertising for Las Vegas that boasts "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". To be sure, it is a fun slogan and even in tough economic times I am sure they are not hurting for tourism dollars. Joe recently traveled to Las Vegas to meet with ministry contacts for the summer mission work that will be done there through Youthworks. While there he drove down the strip on the advice of a ministry contact who suggested the M&M Factory might be a worthy evening activity for student missionaries. Other than being frustrated by the insanity of Las Vegas traffic, Joe was impressed with the size, scope and spectacle that is the Las Vegas strip.
As we talked about it, though, we began to compare Vegas with the evil one that the Church Lady was always talking about. Vegas is a great visual representation of how you-know-who gets us. Vegas is flashy, colorful and very visually appealling. Everything you could ever want -- including some things you'd never admit to wanting -- is there at your fingertips in the most alluring, delicious ways. You want to have fun? Well, come to our casino and try your hand at the slots, those are safe enough. Need proof? Look at all the little grannies playing the slots. If it's safe enough for your dear sweet granny, then surely it's safe for you, right? Tired of wasting quarters? Well, spend some cash to buy some chips and try out the gaming tables. Scantilly-clad waitresses will get you whatever you want to drink and bring it to your table while you game. Hungry? Low-cost buffets abound. Still bored? There are shopping, dining and entertainment options at every turn. Oh, and if you're lonely? Don't worry. Vegas has a cure for that, too, and you won't even get arrested for it.
But the thing is, Vegas has a dark side that lurks on either side of the strip, where all those sparkly neon lights aren't bright enough to shine. There are hundreds of homeless teens, families and adults who came to Vegas and then couldn't afford to get back out. There are women who came there for opportunities and found that their only commodity was their bodies. There are lonely, hurting people who have sold their souls to the gaming tables or other addictions. Sure what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but at what cost?
More importantly, what are the shiny, alluring things that have sucked ME in? To what have I "sold my soul"? Just because I can look at Las Vegas with eyes wide open to see the spiritual cost, doesn't mean my eyes are wide enough to see what is going on right here in Minneapolis at the expense of my own relationship with God. Someday I want to see the spectacle of Vegas just to know what it looks like for myself. But I know that just because something is bright and shiny doesn't mean it is the kind of Light that Christ spoke of, the kind of Light that illuminates a darkened world. That's the Light I want to see with more than a tourist's eyes....that's the Light I want to follow.
As we talked about it, though, we began to compare Vegas with the evil one that the Church Lady was always talking about. Vegas is a great visual representation of how you-know-who gets us. Vegas is flashy, colorful and very visually appealling. Everything you could ever want -- including some things you'd never admit to wanting -- is there at your fingertips in the most alluring, delicious ways. You want to have fun? Well, come to our casino and try your hand at the slots, those are safe enough. Need proof? Look at all the little grannies playing the slots. If it's safe enough for your dear sweet granny, then surely it's safe for you, right? Tired of wasting quarters? Well, spend some cash to buy some chips and try out the gaming tables. Scantilly-clad waitresses will get you whatever you want to drink and bring it to your table while you game. Hungry? Low-cost buffets abound. Still bored? There are shopping, dining and entertainment options at every turn. Oh, and if you're lonely? Don't worry. Vegas has a cure for that, too, and you won't even get arrested for it.
But the thing is, Vegas has a dark side that lurks on either side of the strip, where all those sparkly neon lights aren't bright enough to shine. There are hundreds of homeless teens, families and adults who came to Vegas and then couldn't afford to get back out. There are women who came there for opportunities and found that their only commodity was their bodies. There are lonely, hurting people who have sold their souls to the gaming tables or other addictions. Sure what happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but at what cost?
More importantly, what are the shiny, alluring things that have sucked ME in? To what have I "sold my soul"? Just because I can look at Las Vegas with eyes wide open to see the spiritual cost, doesn't mean my eyes are wide enough to see what is going on right here in Minneapolis at the expense of my own relationship with God. Someday I want to see the spectacle of Vegas just to know what it looks like for myself. But I know that just because something is bright and shiny doesn't mean it is the kind of Light that Christ spoke of, the kind of Light that illuminates a darkened world. That's the Light I want to see with more than a tourist's eyes....that's the Light I want to follow.
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