Saturday, November 3, 2012

Queen Sacrifice


My brother-in-law in California is one of the most formidable chess opponents I know.  He made a choice to display pictures of his children on his walls rather than his numerous awards for patents he received working as a software engineer for a major phone company.  Our face-offs now number in the thousands.  There is one move neither of us is afraid to make -- the queen sacrifice.  This bold move has practical applications for living a rich life.  Here are some ideas for your consideration:
  1. Decide what is most important in your life.  This is your king.  Once you choose your number one priority, be willing to give up less important things that are distractions in your life.
  2. Understand your opponent.  He reveals his priorities with his daily moves.  Look for patterns and use them to protect your king.
  3. Be patient.  Your game plan may take a lifetime to execute.  Stick to it.
  4. Let go of the queen to stay in the game.  Your queen may be something you cherish.  You can live without it.  It may be a nice house, a beautiful automobile, or a lavish lifestyle.  If your king is a life free from debt, be willing to let go of your queen.
  5. Avoid looking backwards.  Those who focus on their sacrifices forget about the king.  They develop negative attitudes about their losses and forget they are still in the game.
Jesus teaches an important lesson about the queen sacrifice.  The ultimate queen is your own life.  Here is what He teaches:

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. ~ Matthew 16:25

No comments: