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Checkers or Chess?
Friday, April 10, 2026 by Rick Stockwell
Checkers or Chess?
READ Matthew 6:19-24
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
-- Matthew 6:19-20 (ESV)
George W. Bush won the 2004 United States presidential election by gaining the most votes in the Electoral College. After the election, the president was asked why he concentrated all his campaign efforts on a few key states, rather than campaigning across the entire country. The reporter also noted that the president had lost the popular vote. Mr. Bush responded that he would have campaigned very differently if he had been trying to win the popular vote. His goal wasn’t to win the popular vote; his goal was to win the Electoral College so he would win the election.
Likewise, checkers and chess are very different games. Although they use the same gameboard, very different strategies are used to win. Life is like that.
For some people, life is like playing checkers. Their primary goal in life is to accumulate as much wealth as they can and store it in earthly investments. Unfortunately, when they come to the end of their life, they’ll have to give it all back to others.
For other people, life is like playing chess. Their primary goal in life is to understand and obey God’s commands, as revealed in the Bible, and store their wealth in heavenly investments, where they’ll never have to give it back.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Are you playing checkers or chess?
Prayer: Father in heaven, may we lay up treasures for ourselves in heaven, rather than on earth.
Prayer Focus: CHECKERS PLAYERS
Rick Stockwell
Rick Stockwell retired from a career in information technology, teaches Sunday school for first graders, served as an elder at his church, has been married for thirty-five years, and has two children and six grandchildren.
Rick is the author of two novels in his Heavenly Realms series called The Wall and The Battle. Audio, eBook and paperback versions are accessible via this link: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07HQ8G3MJ
Comments
Diane McAndrews From W.H. At 4/10/2026 9:04:33 PM
I loved the analogy of Chess and Checkers you used in today's Blog. It really make the reading easier to apply in my own life. Thank you.Previous Posts
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