August 11, 12, 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia, experienced violence from white supremacists. Turning away from the folly of racial bigotry, let’s turn to Marion Tinsley, a Southern white man. Christ transformed his relationships.
The Greatest Checker Player Known
Marion Tinsley (1927 – 1995) held the World Checker Champion title for 19 years. Beginning as champion at 21, he only lost seven games in 45 years of match play. Finding no worthy opponent, he retired for years. What mastery!
In 1990, a checker computer, Chinook, played Tinsley. At the tenth move, Tinsley predicted: “You will regret that.” Chinook resigned after move 36. That was 51 paired moves later! Chinook’s programmer, Schaeffer, had programmed Chinook to look ahead 20 moves. He realized that Tinsley, on his eleventh move, picked the only strategy that could have defeated Chinook. Tinsley saw more than 50 moves ahead! Tinsley explained his advantage: “I have a better programmer, God.”
A Few Clues about Tinsley
As a teen, Marion voraciously studied checkers. His greatest checker strength was his uncanny memory. Playing Chinook, he recalled a series of moves he made in games played during the 1940s. He relished playing Chinook but withdrew from their last match due to health problems. Seven months later, pancreatic cancer claimed his life.
Years earlier, considering what Christ had done for him, Tinsley stated: “I thought of going to Africa as a self-supported missionary. Then, a sharp-tongued sister pointed out that most people who wanted to help blacks in Africa wouldn’t even talk to blacks in America.” Tinsley chose to teach mathematics at Florida A&M – a primarily black school. He preached at a predominantly black church, St. Augustine Street Church of Christ, Tallahassee.
Let’s connect with Tinsley.
Foresight
Imagine being able to anticipate 50 moves. We long to predict future events. Yet, oddly, some seek personal aid from impersonal astrological signs. Go figure. Some ask the advice of friends or mentors who eventually fail or disconnect. Some depend upon algorithms that predict success when stocks are volatile or down. But what happens when stocks are up?
Scripture gives us the wisdom of God. God.
In the beginning, the Holy Spirit “hovered” over creation (Genesis 1:2). The Spirit ordered the formless, empty chaos. Life abounded. In 2 Peter 1:21, Peter uses the same word for “hover” the translators of the Greek version of Genesis used: “Prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were ‘carried along’ (‘hovered over’) by the Holy Spirit.” Aha. The Holy Spirit is vital in forming creation and Scripture.
The father in Proverbs urges his child to study the Spirit-authenticated Scriptures as Tinsley scrutinized checkers: “Do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight” (Prov 3:21). Then his child will see more than 50 moves ahead – even 50 years ahead. So, like Tinsley, let’s love our Bibles.
Getting Past Failure
As marvelous as the word of God is, we neglect it; we rebel against it; we make an effort to obey its teaching and then falter – and we make excuses. We fail. When we have some measure of success, we miss the point by becoming self-righteous.
In 1957, Sputnik showed the US that the Russians were ahead in the space race. In 1960, by passing an IQ test, I was selected to be in an advanced class in Colorado Springs that someday might make a difference. One test question showed a baseball field where someone lost a watch. How would I find it? I started well – tracing my ordered steps. But eventually, I grew impatient and scribbled my random quest. Somehow, I got into the class. But 57 years later, that botched question is the only question I recall.
Of course, I’ve had many more profound failures. And, I wonder: “How often did Tinsley think about the seven-match games he lost?” What failures haunt you?
What helped Tinsley persevere in good? When Marion was young, an older woman boarded with Tinsley’s parents. She always beat little Marion in checkers. But, those defeats did not keep him from pursuing checkers.
Loving – Glorying In – the One Who Loved Us First
Jesus loved Peter. But, Peter failed Jesus. When Peter walked on water, he looked away from Jesus. Jesus had no hands on the hips rebuke! No, Jesus reached out and rescued sinking Peter. Later, during events surrounding Jesus’ trial, Peter three times denied knowing Jesus. After Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus responded to Peter’s profound betrayal by three times asking Peter if Peter loved him. Love is what counts for Jesus. We love the One who loved us first – even when we were sinners.
A pitcher for the Helena Brewers walked the first three batters he faced. I asked: “What did you do?” He said: “I trusted God. Because of Jesus, I know God loves me – even when I don’t perform skillfully.” In the next two innings, he pitched well.
I told him about Johnny Carson’s interview with Hall of Famer, Orel Hershiser. After the 1988 World Series, Carson asked Orel, “How did you handle the pressure?” A very competitive Orel surprisingly replied: “After I pitched, I went into the dugout and hummed hymns like: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….” Johnny asked Orel to sing the words. Timid Orel sang the song to millions – for the glory of God.
Likewise, another very competitive man, Tinsley, said he “really hated to lose.” But, after winning his matches, he always gave glory to God. Let’s marvel that this glorying brainiac professor was free to cross racial barriers instead of retreating into nerdiness. Upon his death, the Chinook team wrote: “Dr. Tinsley was exceedingly kind and loved by everyone. He was a great friend.” Chinook’s programmer, Schaeffer, commented: “He was kind and gentle, equally with checker masters and novices.”
Here’s Paul’s summary: “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal. 5:6). So let’s believe the good news of Jesus – loving God – glorying in him – and loving our neighbor. What an advantage!
