Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt conjures up childhood scenes of a swashbuckling pirate on the high seas, one eye black patch-covered, head wrapped in a large bandana, lunging at a stronger-than-Popeye, daring opponent.  The victor emerges, laden with gold doubloons and hauls of hard-fought-for spoils. At least that how my memory serves it up.

At what age do we relinquish the fantasies of childhood? Or do we ever? Many of us recited, "Now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord, my soul, to keep..." long after we learned the Lord's Prayer. We even accepted the fact that Santa Claus wasn't really real. (Well, most of us did, I think, even though we continued to make Christmas wish-lists around September, if not sooner).  It's not as if our dreams required no commitment or vows. He (Santa) knows if you've been good or bad, so be good for goodness sake! However, we remembered the moral of King Midas and the Midas Touch and learned early there's no such thing as a free lunch.

What's the fascination, then, of hunting for treasure, in the form of winning mega-million dollars from lottery ticket treasure quests.? Is it the freedom we hope loads of money buy?  Do we tire of searching for get-rich-quick-overnight success stories and so grab at straws, like trying to catch the wind in our fists? Do we cling to the purity of the swashbuckling pirates of childhood? Do we need to dream, unfettered by reality? Do we get tired of waiting on Prince Charming to appear in a Buick or a Benz? Do we just want to win something, anything?

 What if we're searching for treasures in the wrong places.  I remember being warned not to look for love in all the wrong places.  Hmm. What if the treasure resides inside us, put there when God, our Creator, formed us in our mother's womb?  "Instead seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you"..."For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:31). Finally, keep in mind what Matthew promises in chapter 7, verses 7 and 8:  "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened." What are we waiting for? Let's get it on, singer  Marvin Gaye advised!