What's Your Plan?
by Paula Harrington
I have the privilege of coaching a local elementary school chess team and love watching the students come to realize that playing chess can, at times, mirror life. Victory results from good decisions involving careful forethought and concentration, whereas failure derives from poor choices and impulsive moves.
The advanced players take this into great consideration; however, the beginners of the group are slowly learning the importance of preparing for each move. Recently, during one match I overhead an advanced player tell his much younger opponent, ” If you want to do well then you gotta have a plan!”
God’s plan was to give his Son on the cross so that we might have salvation. Our plan should be to live a life worthy of Jesus and in all that we do, bring glory and honor to God.
There are many places throughout the Bible where we can find plans for our life. In Romans 12:9-21, the Apostle Paul proposes that we:
Love sincerely
Hate what is evil and support what is good
Encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ
Be diligent for the cause of Christ
Rejoice in the hope of Jesus
Be patient in our tribulations
Pray without ceasing
Be hospitable
Bless those who are against us
Rejoice with the happy and mourn with the sad
Associate with the humble
Never repay evil with evil
To the best of our ability, live at peace with all people
Overcome evil with good
What a great way to become more like Christ. Friends, we must be certain that we have a strategy for each day and that it begins and ends with Jesus. If it doesn’t then we shouldn’t be surprised when we fail.
Spend some time with your nearest Bible and don’t forget the words of a very wise fourth grader, “If you want to do well then you gotta have a plan!”