Fellowship of the Crossroads

Games People Play: Trivial Pursuit

The board game Trivial Pursuit was released in 1981 and quickly became one of the decade’s biggest fads with 20 million units sold in 1984 alone. Like any board game there was no prize, other than bragging rights, for winning. Still, people became obsessed and many spent many hours reading, studying, and looking up obscure facts to fill their heads with the knowledge needed to win the game. For many it became a “trivial pursuit” trying to win a game of Trivial Pursuit. From a distance we can see how silly it is to become focused on something trivial, devoting the bulk of our time, energy, and finances to a goal that in the end does not make a difference in our lives relationally or spiritually. But what are we pursuing in this life to try and make it better? Are we pursuing the things other people have thinking our life would be better if we just had those things? Are we pursuing an education thinking that a degree or the prestige of it will bring us happiness? Are we pursuing biblical knowledge thinking that if we just learn God’s word all our problems will resolve themselves? If you win in a trivial pursuit what do you win?