Lead with the Queen

When I was little I loved to play chess. Initially I didn’t know how to play chess and I didn’t know anybody who could teach me. I went to the community swimming pool and there I watched the teenage boys play. I studied a new piece every day. How did the pawn move? How did the castle move? How did the knights move? After several days, I knew how every piece moved and I began to play chess. Because I was a boy, I guess, I loved the knights. They were fascinating pieces for me. They had those little horse heads. They moved so uniquely. They move in little “L” shapes and they can jump over things. So every game I played during those early years, I led my attack with the two knights. I jumped those two knights over the pawns in the first two moves of the game and then all my strategy centered on their abilities. I had fun playing and I did win some games.

Anyone who has played chess or knows a little bit about chess realizes that the most important piece on the board, the most powerful piece on the playing field is the queen. She has the most moves. She can cover the greatest distance. The queen is the central player, the best able to win the game for you. The loss of the queen is usually devastating. But I was leading with the knights. How many games was I winning? Not as many as I could have. I was leaving my queen back in home territory to protect the king. When I finally realized that if I was going to win I needed to lead with the queen and let all the other pieces support her, I began to win games consistently.

There is a great chess game going on for the souls of men in the world and God will lead with His queens. You will be God’s “enlargement and deliverance” to save His people against the Hamans of the day whether they be shortsighted or hostile.

I read the above by S. Michael Wilcox in his book Walking on Water, which by the way is a fabulous collection of talks he's given. I couldn't help but think of my own mother and how grateful I am that God chose to lead the family I grew up in with her as the Queen. She truly is remarkable. One of her finest characteristics is her ability to stay connected with all six of her children at least on a weekly basis either through a phone call to just to see how things are going or a quick email or actual letter by pony express. I LOVE that about her and want be like her when my kids are grown and left home.

But . . . 

I also know it takes a lot of time and commitment. This Queen has put her priorities in order and knows that a mother's job is never done even if there aren't children in the home. She knows how important it is to keep that relationship alive and thriving . . . and that's through consistent, meaningful contact.

I sure do love her and am so glad that I can call her my mom.