Before I arrived in Japan, I had never heard the term “treasure hunt”. Besides being reminiscent of pirates, it sounded like an activity you’d do with a youth group or kids at Easter, not on a mission trip. Yet, as our contact Jef began to explain the concept and heart behind a treasure hunt, I couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful simplicity of it. It’s totally changing my approach to what it means to live out your faith and I’m so blown away by it that I just have to share.
Are you ready for your mind to be blown? Okay. Here goes…
Western Christians (especially those on mission trips) often have the mindset that they are going to reach the non-believers, claim souls for the kingdom and find those sheep that are lost. The truth is, however, that no one is lost and there is no such thing as a non-believer. There are only PRE-believers and the only thing that is lost is the Jesus inside the person. God made everyone in His image and placed His goodness inside of each of us. His glory is always inside of us waiting for something (or someone) to bring it to surface and make it shine. For those who are Christians, God has touched you and revealed all of that wondrous glory. For pre-believers, their God-given glory is still asleep. Sure, it still shines out in their daily life, but without that special touch from Jesus, the light lacks true luster and they are not living ABUNDANTLY.
So here is where a treasure hunt enters. It is not a time for Christians to make other people believe that Jesus came, died for our sins and is coming again…that part comes a bit later; a treasure hunt is about finding the lost Jesus inside of people (the treasure) and helping them to wake up and see it too. You show them that they are worthy and good and that all of their goodness comes from a man named Jesus. And in this way, you don’t just tell them about God, you help them to encounter Him, see Him with new eyes, and ultimately experience Him for themselves.
So what does digging up this treasure look like?
Well, in a country like Japan, many people struggle with their identity because they are constantly comparing themselves to others and trying to live up to an ideal. There is a high rate of suicide here and false happiness is the norm because they’re always pressured to be perfect but never told that they’re good enough. Many people here are hungry for encouragement and love, and they need to hear that there is something great in them that is not dependent upon performance. So our treasure hunts are are full of love, joy, prayer, and encouragement. We simply talk to people and let them know that we see them and they matter. We call out their talents and positive attributes and tell them how awesome they are. We let them know that someone sees their efforts and appreciates them. These actions can sometimes seem small, but our God is so amazing that small words can make a HUGE difference in how a person sees themselves and ultimately encounters the God in them.
Once I came to understand that digging up treasure is this easy, I understood how everyday is a treasure hunt. Everyday you are surrounded by people that have fallen asleep on the best thing that could ever happen to them, and while they may dream of it on occasion, they need you to help them wake up to it. Our job as Christians is to see the Jesus in people and offer them the love, encouraging words, and support that will help them believe that not only is Jesus real, but He’s already living inside of them. If they let Him, He can truly be the best part of their lives. This is something that everyone needs to know and that’s why treasure hunting is something that can and should be done everyday, everywhere.
So that’s where you come in!
Don’t leave treasure hunting just for pastors, evangelists, or missionaries…it’s something that every believer can do. You can be a pirate! Each day you can wake up and ask God, “Help me to see the treasure inside someone today and give me the words to help them see you in themselves.” and just go. Smile. Encourage. Pray. Breathe life into sleeping souls. And watch them encounter your Jesus.
A cute couple that we met on a treasure hunt. We weren’t able to communicate much to them, but we’d like to believe that simply talking to them with love and joy brought a little more light into their lives and out of them. Great way to spend an afternoon!
