Did you ever learn to play chess? It can be viewed as a complicated game with different pieces able to make only specified moves. A rook moves only on ranks and files, while a bishop moves only on diagonals (so one is always on white squares and the other only on black squares). The queen combines the two, making her the most powerful piece. Meanwhile the knight sort of hops–like on a horse that hops, I guess–always going up two over one.
I once played the game a lot. In college, I’d go to the commons area and pick up games. Sadly, I haven’t played a game since somewhere around 1975. It is a great battle of wits.
The most important trait I developed playing chess was the ability to look ahead. I think about this every time I’m in traffic and see people who don’t anticipate or look ahead at the traffic. It seems so simple to me–built into my nature.
I’m studying Proverbs right now, but I’m also contemplating on the fruit of the Spirit. The writer of Proverbs begs us to learn from Wisdom. As Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, puts it, it’s one thing to say, “next time, I’ll know better,” but another thing to learn from Wisdom, other writings in the Bible and from other wise people so that “I’ll know better before I do the act.”
It’s that kind of looking ahead, realizing that each move you make has consequences in the future, that will save you much grief.
Speaking of looking ahead, I surely didn’t anticipate the spam comments and also search terms that led to this blog as a result of using the “s” word recently. The Internet can be a great place, but evidently porn is everywhere and on many minds. Maybe I was able to influence at least one of those searchers in a positive way ;-}
Faith Venture 
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