Trump

Trump

Domino and card games have been enjoyed for centuries, and among the most
strategic and engaging are trump games. Trump games are popular because they
give players the chance to control the game in their favor. A designated "trump"
suit has the power to overrule others, ensuring that whoever plays it gains a
decisive advantage. Usually, the highest card or domino in the suit wins the trick,
but the trump plays by its own rules. It interrupts normal play to change the
game to win the trick. The idea of having a trump can be exhilarating! Taking
control of the game and turning it the way you want it to go is why these types of
games are so popular.
For Christians, life can mirror a trump game, where choices must be made
between following personal desires or following God’s suit, His will for our lives.
In life, we often feel like we have our own "trump cards" - our skills, talents,
knowledge, money, or power - that we can use to get what we want. But as
Christians, we are called to play according to God's rules, not our own. These
attributes are blessings, but they can become tools for self-promotion rather than
instruments for God’s glory. When we use our own "trump cards" to follow our
desires instead of God’s will, we fall into selfishness and sin.
Playing Our Trump
It’s tempting to use our trump cards to assert control over our lives and to seek
our own desires. Often we might be tempted to prioritize career success, social
status, or personal comfort over God's calling. James 4:3 warns, “When you ask,
you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend
what you get on your pleasures.” This verse highlights the danger of using our
gifts or opportunities selfishly, outside of God’s purpose.
An example from Scripture can be seen in the story of King Saul. In 1 Samuel 13,
Saul played his own "trump card" by offering a sacrifice himself instead of
waiting for the prophet Samuel, as God commanded. Saul acted out of fear and
impatience, trying to secure victory on his own terms. However, God’s response,
through Samuel, was clear: “You have not kept the command the Lord your God
gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all
time” (1 Samuel 13:13). Saul’s decision to play his trump rather than follow God’s
suit led to the loss of his kingdom.
In a game, playing a trump card means making sure you win. In life, it can mean
choosing our own way instead of God’s way. We might feel powerful when we do
this, but it often leads to trouble. The Apostle Paul warns about this in Galatians
5:19-21, where he lists the "acts of the flesh," such as selfish ambition and envy.
He says, “Those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” When we
focus on our own desires, we separate ourselves from God.
Jesus also spoke about the dangers of selfishness. In Matthew 16:24-25, He said,
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross
and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses
their life for me will find it.” Jesus calls us to put aside our own desires and follow
Him, especially when it is hard.
Following God’s Suit
Unlike trump card games where the goal is to win, the Christian life calls for

surrender to God’s greater plan. In doing so, we align our hearts with His
purposes, allowing Him to be in control. Jesus modeled this perfectly when He
prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup
from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus had the power
to escape suffering, but He chose to follow God’s suit, submitting to His will for
the sake of humanity’s salvation.
The Apostle Paul also speaks of this alignment in Galatians 2:20: “I have been
crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now
live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself
for me.” Here, Paul describes a life surrendered to God’s purposes, where
personal desires take a back seat to divine guidance.
Practical Ways to Follow God’s Suit
1. Seek God’s Guidance Through Prayer and Scripture
Just as players study the rules and strategies of card games, Christians must
study God’s Word. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a
light to my path.” Regular prayer and Bible study help ensure that our decisions
align with God’s will.
2. Choose Obedience Over Convenience
Obeying God isn’t always easy or comfortable. It may require sacrificing personal
ambitions or enduring trials. Yet, Romans 12:1-2 urges believers to “offer your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper
worship.”
3. Trust in God’s Timing
Waiting for God’s timing can feel like relinquishing control, but Proverbs 3:5-6
encourages us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths
straight.”
4. Use Your Gifts to Serve Others
Rather than using our trump cards for personal gain, God calls us to use them for
service. 1 Peter 4:10 teaches, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have
received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Conclusion
The paradox of the Christian life is that true victory comes through surrender.
While the world teaches that playing your trump guarantees success, Scripture
teaches that the greatest triumph comes when we allow God to play His hand. As
Jesus said in Matthew 16:25, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but
whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Choosing to follow God’s suit may not always lead to worldly success, but it leads
to eternal rewards. When we submit to His will, we align ourselves with His
eternal purposes and experience the peace and joy that comes from knowing we
are part of His divine plan.
Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
True victory comes when we let God lead the game.
- Bryan Tacker

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