TODAY THE WORD IS SCAVENGERS

Scavenger hunts used to be popular and now it seems to have gone into another oldie but goodie memory. Here is how I remember a scavenger hunt worked. We were divided into teams and the same list of items were given to each team with a time element to return with all of the found items on the list. Usually the items were not simple items to find but this was part of the fun. Everyone’s memories were tested to recall where these items could be retrieved or found. A certain bird’s feather; a horseshoe, an old love letter, certain kind of button and/or coin, recipe, rocks shaped in different animal or heart shapes, leaves, etc. The list contained several easy finds but also contained a few hard to find items. The search was on and each find created a new excitement; on to more treasures. The list was checked off as each find was discovered. When the time was up; the scavengers returned to the home base and a check was made as to which team had found the most finds. A winner was declared along with the stories of how hard this item was to find; the hunting adventures were recounted; and a lot of laughter and kidding accompanied the hunt discoveries. A scavenger hunt can produce a life lesson in itself. What lesson can be learned by going through old discarded items, looking on the ground and in trees, you may ask? To begin with, the hunt is successful by assigning people to work together toward a common goal. It can be good for a person’s ego to accomplish something on their own; but it satisfies more people to work as a team using each person’s talents and skills to accomplish a common goal. We see this in adult life as a pastor or minister can lead a church in principles and can be a shining example of godliness; however, the church flourishes and grows if all of the church’s “scavengers” can find lost souls, discarded people who life has beaten down, or people who have been overlooked such as homeless people and bring them into the fold of the church. By bringing these people to hear the pastor or the minister’s words of God’s plan; the whole team profits by newly saved souls. Another factor which the scavenger hunt displays is what one person discards as junk; another person can find it; clean it up, and show the value to a point the first person wonders why they could not see the glow, the luster, and the worth. In other words, something seemingly worthless can be a treasure if the person or item is cleaned up, shown loving care, and time taken to polish. Our Savior found favor in men and women who others mocked, laughed, ridiculed, and in some cases tormented. Let us go on a scavenger hunt to find the treasure in others we find in the most unusual places.  Seek and you shall find!

 

(c) copyright 2014 Arline Lott Miller. The material here copyrighted, use only by permission.