Greg's Fishing Hole

Spiritual Applications of Poker?

Just before I moved to Texas I got sucked into the poker craze. Just watch a little ESPN (I know it's not really a sport) and you might too. Texas Hold 'Em is a really fun little hobby! I realize that for a minister it's not the best of hobbies, but please understand that I play strictly for fun with play money. I am NOT advocating gambling here. On the contrary, I can see through playing simulated tournaments and such how addictive it could be, and how depressed one could become if investing real hard earned money! I guess poker for me has been a recreational activity that gets my mind off of the stresses of ministry and stretches it in a very interesting way.
It really is a tough game. There are so many intricacies and angles to it. Whether online or on one of those ($9 clearance) handheld plug and play TV games or with real people and real chips (of which I still can't do any tricks), you have to read the cards, the players, the position, the chip count and situations.
Last night after we got the kids down to sleep and after I spent some quality time with Emily, I played a simulated tournament on the handheld game. There were 50 players of different levels at different tables. (When one was knocked out, another would come in type of thing.) It was intense! It would tell you how many players were left. I played the night before and got 19th. Last night I saw that that feat was pretty easy. But to win it all, first out of 50, that one game that I started putting $400 of my fake $450 dollars to play took me into the wee hours of the morning, and I was finally victorious at 2:22 a.m. Em was cheering me on in the beginning, then fell asleep. I wanted to wake her when I made the final table, but I didn't wake her until I'd won it all. I won a $4000 fake cash prize to be stored in the memory of the unit.
It was not easy. I can't imagine the world series events that have thousands, pros and joes alike. All the variables, choices, and decisions hand after hand. Knowing when to hold 'em or fold them. Betting big on a bluff, hoping no one will call (stealing the pot). Playing the blinds. Laying down potentially good hands. Folding a nothing hand that turns out to be great. Spending half the stack of chips to call someone's bluff. Taking a bad beat. Going all in twice in a row. Getting lucky on the river, getting just the right card. Someone else getting lucky, getting just the right card to beat your already great hand. WHAT ARE THE ODDS??? This is pressure, but it's fun, and it's my new way to relax? Yes. Tonight after our Saturday night service, the youth minister and the band members and some others are coming over for some Christian poker, pizza, and sodas. I hope I can read those guys as well as the ones on the TV screen.
Anyway, I don't want to write a book on poker, so back to the purpose of this blog. I try to keep this blog semi-spiritual, so are there any spiritual applications of poker? Probably if I stretch far enough. Here's what it wouldn't be: lying. When you're a professional truth teller (minister) a little game strategy (bluffing) is good fun. Maybe the best stretch I could make would be that of taking risks. In poker you take a number of risks to win. Sometimes you lose, but sometimes you win big, and it's worth it. So in what area do we take risks for the cause of Christ? Probably many, but one that comes to mind is in seeking prospects for church. I go to Wal-mart and there is a line full of Hispanics who maybe are lost. I try to conduct what in poker they call a tell (something that tells you about the person, in Christianeese we call it discernment) and then may give a person an invitation card for church. I'm not stereotyping people. I'm trying to be a good steward of the seeds that I have. I want to be impartial, but I also want to be personal. I ask the Lord to direct me to the risks that may bring fruit. I'll try and converse first, etc. I don't just want to go all in every time with anyone and everyone-- that's not as smart. I want to try and find the person who's hurting and who Jesus has divinely appointed me for. And when I go to them, I don't bring along my poker face, I bring the face of Christ. I'm working this out. I think we should all take more risks everyday in showing those people, who God puts in our path, His great love through us.
Although I enjoy poker as a hobby, I don't necessarily believe in luck in life. But I do believe in blessing. God bless you today! Take a risk for Him.

posted by Gregory Fish @ 7:32 AM