Using chess to share the Lord with children

Thursday, 27. March 2008 by Renee Ellison

The other day, we were speedily vanquished by an expert chess player who was showing us a few moves that resulted in several very short games.  Having more time to think afterward than during these friendly bouts, I had time to think about universals in the game of chess.  I like to think of the King as God, and that all the other players find it wise to pursue Him with all their efforts.  He is the grand prize of life.  To find Him is everything.  A few months ago I was in a foreign land where we didn’t understand the locals’ language, and vice versa.  So, we communicated over a chess board.  In stages, I taught a teenage girl how to play the game.  First I showed her all the lesser skirmishes first (like doing life activities outside of any over-arching purpose) and only later did I finally pull out the King—showing her the purpose of the entire game.  With Him, all of life’s lesser skirmishes fall into their originally designed right relationships and life works; it has meaning and purpose.  All our activities then have the joy of doing them under His watchful caring eye and affection.  Without Him, the difference in life forever feels like viewing a sunset alone.

Another way to share the Good News, especially with young persons and with someone who doesn’t speak the same language you do, is to use the The Gospel in Colors booklet.