One day the Satan came to a young man and offered him a way to make a large sum of money. He showed 10 bottles and said that of those 10 bottles, 9 bottles are filled with sweet water and 1 of them is filled with poison. If he drinks the one with sweet water, then, the Satan will give him a large sum of money.
The young man told the Satan that there is no amount of money in the world he would risk of exchanging his life with and he declined the offer. However, the Satan kept tempting him that he has 90% chance of making great sum of money.
The more the young man thought about it, it became appealing and so he justified himself that he would do it only once since he has 90% chance. As he was trembling, the young man picked a bottle and drank it.
Fortunately, he picked the one that had sweet water and thus, he survived and received that large sum of money. He told the Satan not to come again but the Satan immediately made an offer that if he would pick the “safe” one again then he would receive the twice the amount.
Thinking he could do it again since he had about 88% chance (since he was picking 1 out of 9 bottles), he did it again and made it safe. Considering that it was easy money, the young man squandered all that came in spending on drugs, alcohol, and in debauchery.
The young man wasn’t even afraid of fear of death so he summoned Satan for more deals.
One bottle after another, there were only two bottles left. Now it came to be a choice of “life” or “death”, 50%/50% chance situation for him… that was if he was to choose to play the game. By this time, he has aged and was no longer a young man. However, he decided to “bet” rest of his life one last time and picked up a bottle and drank it.
After drinking the bottle, he shouted with great excitement, “I’ve done it! I have made all the right choices. I am alive! Give me the money, Satan!”
Looking at this man who was so immersed in himself, the Satan picked up the last bottle and drank it and said, “There was no bottle with poisoned drink from the beginning. However, you have been poisoned with GREED and MONEY the moment you have played this game. You are now dying of this poison. You have lived your youth and opportunity for this temporal prize and lost the eternal blessing. Now, you will be with me and suffer eternally.”
Jesus said in Matt. 16:26, “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” I wonder if we, too, play this kind of game… maybe not with “life or death” bottles but more with “promise or prosperity” bottles. I pray that we would choose the “living water” (John 4:10) over any bottled water/drink.
Have a wonderful week!