As a child, I loved reading Highlights Magazines.  My brother and I would pore over them at the dentist’s office, the doctor’s waiting room, anywhere we found them.  My favorite features were “Hidden Pictures” and “Find the Differences.”  “Hidden Pictures” was a page of a black and white line drawing, maybe depicting a tree, animals, some kids, but hidden all over in the lines of the drawing were tiny hammers, ice cream cones, and more.  We hunted through these, racing to find all the miniature treasures.  “Find the Differences” was two side-by-side pictures, identical at first glance, perhaps depicting a man in a restaurant.  You had to look closely to see all the subtle differences between the two, e.g., that his shirt had a pocket in one picture but not the other.  Both were fun ways to pass the time.

Recently, I realized that there are grownup versions of these pastimes in real life.  Sometimes we act like we’re living in a world of “Find the Differences,” expressed by nit-picky perfectionism, seeing all the little details of reality that are not exactly how we would ideally want.  This perspective breeds bitterness.

Alternatively, we can live in a world of “Hidden Pictures,” seeking God’s fingerprints and glory in everything around us, eager to discover the hints of His presence.  This outlook nurtures gratitude.

I choose the latter; I want to stay on the “Hidden Pictures” page of my heart.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13