Peanuts

I brought them home from the corner store in a brown paper bag last Saturday afternoon. Peanuts - to go with our Christmas candy. There's something kind of irresistible about peanuts in the shell, even for the likes of me who don't really like peanuts.

A little later in the day, my 8-year-old announced he wanted to make a scavenger hunt for someone. I suggested he make one for his younger sister who was having a nap at the time – that way she wouldn't see what he was doing.

He grabbed a handful of peanuts from the bag and carefully hid ten of them around the house, tucking them under things and behind things and inside things. And then he waited with eager anticipation for his sister to wake up. My daughter had barely opened her eyes and he was urging her to begin the scavenger hunt. He, of course, came along with her on the hunt, giving her hints and gleefully exclaiming whenever she found one of the peanuts. Despite the hints and enthusiasm and cooperation, they were able to find only seven.

Over the course of the next couple days, I found the rest as I was going about my daily work.  I wasn't looking for them, but there they were. Hiding on a shelf in the broom closest. Tucked under a piece of cloth on my sewing table. Languishing on a ledge in the office. Each time I found one, the inside of me warmed, thinking of my son diligently hiding the peanuts just so they could be found, and of how much pleasure that had given him on a winter afternoon.

The Christmas story is the story of God revealing himself to humanity in one grand gesture. I imagine, however, that God has revealed himself to humanity in many ways over the course of history, and in many ways personally over the course of one's life. And I wonder if it isn't a bit like my son's scavenger hunt. Some people, like the Magi, are intentionally, purposefully on the look-out for God being revealed, and God gleefully walks alongside, giving hints and rejoicing over someone's discovery. And then there are others, like the shepherds in the fields, who aren't even looking, and yet they, too, stumble across some revelation of God and their hearts are opened. I love how God makes himself accessible to everyone, simply for the joy of the discovery.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek with all your heart.

I will be found by you,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:13-14

“I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me;

I was found by those who did not seek me,”

[says the Lord].

Isaiah 65:1