Being a Cheerful Little Pawn

Zoom it all out for a moment. Right out. Twist your perspectival lens until Earth cowers humbly before the sun, and world history smirks knowingly at July 2025 from its well-earned armchair.

"What is man that You remember him,

And the son of man that You care for him?"

(Psalm 8:4)

And yet, he does. Judging by how many of them he made, he even cares about bugs. He’s probably named one Geoff — with that spelling. The God who stoops to peer into heaven is the same God who etched the double helix. He is God of the galaxies and God of the quarks.

From this vantage point, you can view the chess game of your life, and, with a guilty start, realise that you are not the king or queen. This thing really doesn’t revolve around you. In fact, you are a grimy little pawn on the G-file, trying not to be noticed by that haughty black bishop halfway across the board.

Now, there is nothing wrong with being a grimy little pawn on the G-file. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that we grimy little pawns on the G-file are people too. We may even become queens one day. But for now, we do well to remember that we are not as significant as we feel.

Yes, God loves grimy little pawns as much as gallant knights and stable rooks. Even those who happen to be on the G-file. But you probably aren’t the centerpiece of God’s unfolding master plan.

So when you look around the board (from your viewpoint on the G-file) at the black pieces that seem to surround you on all sides, remember that God knows what he’s doing. He’s won more games than you can count on your fingers. And toes. Express your perplexity to him, but don’t tell him how to do his job. He’s going to win just fine. And what’s more:

“We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.”

(Romans 8:28)

That’s because — Psalm 8:4 — he really does remember you; he really does care.

So keep running into battle (down the G-file, if that’s where God has put you) with a cheerful smile on your pawn’s face, and don’t make it all about you. Live for your family, for your church, for the other pawns you can touch on the F- and H-files.

The game belongs to the Lord. All of his moves will make sense in the end.