LightGrams
December 11, 2025
Volume 29, Number 39
During her years as a professional tennis player, Caroline Garcia enjoyed her share of winning. At one point she was ranked as the 4th best women’s tennis player in the world, and she won 11 Women’s Tennis Association titles before retiring earlier this year. But it was a choice she recently made that leads me to declare this French athlete as a winner on the largest stage.
Garcia hosts a podcast, “Tennis Insiders’ Club”, in which she interviews other athletes in her sport and tells stories the public may not know. It has become popular enough that she was approached by a company wanting to become a sponsor. The amount they offered was $270,000. Garcia considered the pitch but decided to say no, saying she chose “values over money”.
The company is a major sports betting company (she wouldn’t name which one). Garcia has heard an increasing number of stories of professional athletes being threatened and harassed by fans who wager large amounts of money on matches and games. When a player doesn’t play as expected, the fan loses their bet, and they become angry enough to threaten the athlete. Garcia said she didn’t want to allow a betting company to use time on her show to advertise a toxic service.
1 Timothy 6:9 states the problem that millions struggle with: “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.” In the next verse Paul declared that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Being rich is not condemned, but having a desire to be rich is.
The most infamous betrayal of all time took place because of a love of money. John 12:6 tells us that Judas “was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put into it.” This same Judas, one of Jesus’ closest followers, betrayed Jesus for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Did it make him rich? No, it led to Judas’ “destruction and perdition”, and he took his own life (Matthew 27:3-10).
God warned Israel to “not follow a crowd to do evil” (Exodus 23:2). There are clearly crowds of people engaging in gambling, an activity that I don’t hesitate to declare “evil”. Betting puts our own family at risk, but look at what it’s doing to young athletes who feel the pressure to perform, not just for their team but also now for those who wager money on their performance. Let’s look at sports betting (and all manner of gambling) in the light of “values over money”. When a person places a bet, are they participating in the evil aspects of the “industry”?
If you’re hungering for great gain, 1 Timothy 6:6 gives a formula that to many is apparently a secret: “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.” That formula rarely leads to glamor, excitement, or fame, but it will lead to peace of mind. Bravo, Caroline Garcia! You made a choice that causes all of us to reflect on the better options God puts before us.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2025, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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