Winning & Losing

The two sisters were once inseparable.  “Almost every day, I’d pick her up, and we’d go riding around,” said Theresa Sokaitis of Middletown, CT, concerning her sister, Rose Bakaysa, of Plainville, CT.

But at some point in 2004, these two octogenarian sisters (now ages 83 and 87) had a falling out.  Their relationship will likely become more estranged because they may soon go to court.

One of the pastimes that these sisters used to enjoy together was gambling together.  They would share their winnings.  In 1995, they even decided to put into writing an agreement that they would share any future winnings from the lottery, cards, and bingo.  They had the agreement formally notarized.

After the falling out in 2004, Bakaysa and their brother, Joseph F. Troy, Sr., won a $500,000 Powerball jackpot in 2005.  Bakaysa and Troy, however, didn’t notify their sister; Sokaitis read about their winnings in the newspaper.  Now, basing her case on the agreement with her sister, she wants her share of the money.

Although the lottery winnings may not have been the CAUSE of the strife between the sisters, it will likely prove to be a source of even greater CONTENTION between them.

The conflict between the sisters illustrates this truth from the Scriptures:

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” 
– 1 Timothy 6:10

The love of money can bring about the sorrow of separation from loved ones (as in the case of the sisters), and it – like any other sin – also separates one from GOD!

But God doesn’t want to be separated from us, and He doesn’t want us to have to “pay the price” of worshipping false gods (like money).  He loved us so much that He gave His Son to die on the cross to save us from sin (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7) and to give us the abundant life now (John 10:10) and eternal life to come (Romans 6:23).

In order to enjoy the GREATER RICHES of forgiveness and life, we must renounce our false gods and submit to the one true God.  We must believe  
and trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6) and His Son (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).

The two sisters have now realized that winning isn’t everything; it can be accompanied by great loss.  But through Christ, if we will choose to “lose” our focus on dead idols and turn to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9), then in the end, we will WIN!

Where’s YOUR focus?

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Information gleaned from “$500K Prize Divides 2 Elderly Sisters in Conn.” By Pat Eaton-Robb of the Associated Press

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