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Know When to Hold 'Em
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Along the way, we need to practice gambler spirituality. Kenny Rogers was known for many songs. One was “The Gambler” he recorded in 1978. You likely know the refrain, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run.” These words recently tumbled into my mind as good counsel for living well in these days.
“Know when to hold ‘em”….In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul named a winning hand: the fruit of the Spirit (love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (generosity), faithfulness, gentleness, and self control), and in Colossians 3:12-16 he repeated some of these traits and added compassion, humility, tolerance, and forgiveness. These things, he wrote, “must live in you richly.” That is, when you have these cards in your hand, hold ‘em. Play them in response to life as it comes your way.
“Know when to fold ‘em”….In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul identified a losing hand: the works of the flesh (sexual immorality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissentions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and carousing), and in Colossians 3:5-11 he repeated some of these things and added impurity, passion, evil desire, greed, wrath, malice, slander, abusive language, and lying. If you find yourself with these cards, fold ‘em.
“Know when to walk away”….This is the spirituality that says, “I am not going to play this game anymore; it has taken a turn I cannot support or participate in. Paul summed it up in this exhortation, “Take no part in unfruitful works of darkness; rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). It’s what Jesus called shaking the dust off our sandals (Mark 6:10-11), not as an act of superiority or self-righteousness but rather in the prophetic task of calling out evil so there can be repentance and restoration. This is what we call nonviolent resistance of the proactive kind commended by Micah: doing justice, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God (Micah 6:8). Gambler spirituality knows when to walk away—when to stop playing the fallen-world’s games (oligarchy, imperialism, nationalism, authoritarianism, fundamentalism)—when to refuse to sell out to the “dirty rotten system” and when to refuse to sell your soul to “the company store.” Walking away is simultaneously an indictment of evil and the intention to pursue goodness.
“Know when to run”….This is what David did sometimes (e.g. 1 Samuel 22:1 and 24:3), what Jesus did in response to those who were intent on destroying him (John 11:53-54). There are times when fleeing is an act of faith, when staying would be foolish. Evil is powerful, and sometimes it has the upper hand. Spiritual maturity says, “get away from it.” This is not a reluctance to be courageous; it’s a desire not to be stupid. As Frederick Buechner put it, “A bleeding heart is of no value if it bleeds to death.” Running is the act which brings us to the place of rest, renewal, and reignition of resolve.
Gambler spirituality is much-needed in our day, needed in each of the ways the song describes. I cannot say which of the ways is the one you should follow because I do not know the hand you’ve been dealt. All I can say is, “know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run.”