The Game of Life by EKEKERE SAMUEL UFOT - HTML preview

Chapter Four

BE GUIDED BY

THE RIGHT

RULES

The chess game is played by a set of rules. You have to know the rules to play. Life is filled with many rules to play you right. You have to be equipped with the right rules. These rules are the guiding principles that guide your every action. Paul puts it this way, where there are no rules, the people perish. Rule guide us to make the right steps towards the course of championship that we have set.

Moderators or referees often stand between players to ensure the chess game is played as required by the set down rules. We have an infinite moderator and referee of life in God who stands on the sides as we play watching out to see that we play by the rules. God has sanctioned enabling rules. He had also given people; those we call our leaders to make out laws for the daily existence of man. Man has the rules of life to guide his every walk. We have the “reap and sow” rule and a host of other life rules which guide our conducts in the way we dress and are addressed in our communication, business etc.

Let’s see the rules of the chess game

• The initial setup. As a rule all the pieces have to be arranged just in the right positions. It is a guiding rule if we must achieve. We should not want to win an Olympic medal in a kitchen. This would be absurd. What is observed on the chessboard is the order in which the pieces are arranged. Orderliness should be a watchword for our lives. We are not striving for someone else’s position but rather we should be contented with the position God has placed us at.
• Game play. There are two sets of pieces on the board; the white pieces and the black pieces. The white pieces often start the game first followed by the black and then the game is played interchangeably. The fact of life is the fact that everyone has got a turn. You play first and you leave the stage for another. You won’t enjoy life if you were to play all alone. The very fact that each player must play his turn supports the fact that we are in a rotating world where turns are necessary if life must move smoothly.

The goal of the players is to win by checkmating the king. You too must seek to protect your interest in your life game. Your relationship with God is enough king to protect. Nothing can be a valuable as this relationship.

While the game is being played, there is a time limit or timer in place to manage the time wherein a player has to make his move. Once the time elapses, he would have to change turns. We have a time frame for our existence in life. While we play this game, we must realize that time and ensure we play within the stipulated time. Knowing that after this time when we are alive, we will not be able to play in life. Others will take their turns.

• Movement. Each piece has its own kind of movement. We have the basic moves, castling moves, empassant moves etc. we are not meant to be copy cats. We are independent persons with independent goals and direction in life. Though we may be yearning for a common goal, we are unique in how we can reach those goals. We don’t have to follow just one pattern. God has made us individually spectacular persons, different from any other person. We don’t have to copy Mr. A. Mr.A is great but we can adapt our own qualities and still achieve the same goals.

Looking closely at the chess board game, each piece is limited by its own movement. It is not however the length of movement that wins a match. Same is life. Some people will have to travel far while others will have to stay in the comfort of their homes, some will go overseas while others will stay in their country of origin.

On the game , there is a movement called the pawn promotion where a pawn has a chance to be promoted once it advances to its eight ranks. We can be promoted by hard work. But we have to work really hard for excellence. Promotion only comes when we work hard. It is not automatic.

In life’s game, there are life’s rules that should guide us in our day to day activities. Our desire to achieve any great achievement should propel us to obeying the rules of engagement. We should not try the short cuts it does not pay. Yes everyone wants to win. If you must win, you must follow the direction of the traffic. Obey the rules of the game.