I have read that in Las Vegas big money gamblers get special treatment. Free hotel rooms, even free flights too and from the city.

I’ve never been to Las Vegas, and even if I were to visit I wouldn’t be gambling. I understand that the games are set so that the casino always wins over the long term. Those big money players will eventually lose if they play long enough. Those free hotel rooms and flights aren’t really free. Somebody has to pay the price.

I did get to experience my own version of Las Vegas’ special treatment recently though, at IKEA, the home furnishings store. We were discussing what we wanted in a kitchen for our new apartment (and there will be a post or two about that process coming soon) and it was time to write up the order. The sales associate said it would take about a half an hour, and offered us vouchers for free meals at the IKEA cafeteria. At that point, after four hours of discussions, we were indeed ready for a break.

Not quite Vegas, but I guess we were high rollers at IKEA that afternoon. When my daughter heard the story, she was envious that we got free meatballs. I assured her that though we didn’t have to pay in the cafeteria, the meatballs really weren’t free – we spent a lot of money that day.

Nothing really is free, except God’s grace.