Two siblings were rummaging through boxes of their grandparents’s house during a weekend stay. They came across a board game they had never seen before. The title on the box read “Chess.”
“Let’s play,” said the boy.
“Do you know the rules?” asked his sister.
“No, but we can figure it out,” the brother replied.
They took the game to the dining room and opened the box. They laid the board flat on the table and took out the pieces.
They each claimed colors. “Ready?” asked the brother.
“Ready for what?” his sister asked.
“For war!” said the brother picking up his pieces and knocking over his sister’s figurines all over the table.
“Hey, no fair!” she shouted.
At that moment their grandmother came in. “What are you two up to?” she asked.
“Playing this game,” said the girl. “But he cheated.”
“I didn’t cheat!” he replied.
“Do you know the rules?” asked their grandmother.
The kids were silent. They shook their heads.
“Good. I will teach you,” their grandmother replied.
She helped gather the pieces on the floor and showed them how to set up the board. She explained how each chess piece could move and told them the way to win the game.
The children were fascinated. They started a new game, but this time their grandmother was watching. She helped them when they didn’t know what to do.
The sister won the first game, but her brother wasn’t even upset. “Want to play again?” he asked.
“Definitely,” she replied.
The two continued to play and learn new tricks to the game for the rest of the day. They even asked if they could take the game home with them when the weekend was over.
“The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye.”
Psalm 19:8
Reflection Questions
- Why didn’t the kids have fun playing chess before the knew the rules?
- Why did the kids enjoy chess so much after they learned the rules?
- What are some laws of the Lord and why should the bring us joy?
- What does God command that helps us live better lives?
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Here are some of the other Psalm Stories in this series:
