Chess, Relationships and The Three Takes

Recently, I've been devouring all the Max Lucado books I can get my hands on. Kudos to the Mississauga Library System for stocking so many! (Although I don't really read the discussion questions, I just skim. Does that make me a bad person? :) )

On the up side, his books have sparked like-minded thoughts in me. That is to say, I've begun to see my whole life as one giant devotional. Things I hear, see, say or think about now suddenly reveal some truth, a sudden, "whoa!" that makes my brain stop in its tracks. I can't really explain it, and I don't ALWAYS see it, but after bombing my brain with allegories for the past 2 weeks or so, well, this is what I get.

I could almost write a mini-book about this particular one. Do your relationships look like a pro chess game? Because if they do, you have a problem. As it is the hallmark of good, bad, and ugly devotionals, I actually have a set of comparisons that go together. Let's call them the 3 Takes.

In a professional chess match, the players:

1) Take turns

2) Take time

3) Take each other down

Taking turns: One player cannot move until his opponent does, pushing the button on their side of the time clock to signify their turn is over. Do you ever say, "I reached out to you once, but I'm not going to do anything else until I see you respond."? (Yes.) Sometimes we have to keep pushing on, even when we don't see any results. Just keep loving. Just keep giving. Just keep serving. Just keep praying. Maybe this is a test. Are you in it for the long haul, or is this just a one-time thing?

Taking time: As far as I know, only the best (or the stupidest) players move their pieces in rapid-fire procession. Chess is awful boring to watch when the guy just sits there and sits there. Is he trying to make the best move possible or just procrastinating to psyche out his opponent? Especially if the move is so obvious it's ridiculous. (Or I would if I knew anything about chess beyond the fact that it's a close relative of checkers.) If you're sitting on a move that couldn't be more clear, I've got one question for you; why? It's like a guy who comes to a one-way-street and waits for somebody to build a crossroads. (been there, done that)

Take each other down: You're not playing to tie in chess. You're playing to win. But if you win, the other player must, by default, lose. Now obviously we can't all have what we want, but is victory always the name of your game? Do you always have to have the last word or the best idea? (Mea culpa....well, not always....) We can't all be right, but we win when we unite. We're supposed to build up, not tear down.

Besides Eph 4:29, can anyone think of good scripture examples for this?

Trust; Dancing or Piano?

I've been going to a church since Valentine's Day. It was the first time I'd ever set foot in a church, EVER. Sound strange? Anyhow, I wanted to share with you a thought I had one Sunday.

I was sitting on one of the benches (they have padded seats - nice!) and was watching Pastor Jeff play the piano. Because it's a grand piano, the size of the instrument blocked him out almost entirely, in my line of sight. So all I saw was a guy's head moving around. The thought struck me that anybody who couldn't hear the piano music would think he was just dancing. I had to laugh to myself.

And then I realized something.

"Hey, that's like God's work in our lives."

Do you ever have times in your life where it seems like God is being silly? An "Okay, what'd You do that for? It doesn't make sense." moment? When we don't listen for God's voice or trust His ways, a lot of the things He does in our lives can seem pointless or perplexing. It's like God's putting together a puzzle and He won't give us the picture on the box. But He doesn't need the picture. See, He's omniscient, omnipotent, and a whole bunch of other omni-things we're not.


8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:8-11 NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
(Ecclesiastes 11:5 NIV)

Everything that God does in your life, be it "duh!" or clear as mud, is for a reason. Moreover, it will ALWAYS produce a result. God's Word will NEVER be fruitless. Maybe the music will take some time getting to your ears, but you'll hear it, my friend. And trust me, it will be beautiful. :)