Let me ask, is shopping a leisure activity or is shopping a hunting activity for you? 

There was a time when hunting was far more prevalent than shopping. … But when you think about it, now shopping has mostly taken the place of hunting. 

The days of going out to kill an animal so you could have meat for dinner have been replaced. Now we go to the grocery store and pick out a juicy steak or frozen pre-cooked ribs already sauced.

We hunt for bargains at the store. We go to malls to gather the items from the list we made before we left home.

But for some people shopping is not so much a hunt, or a replacement for gathering the necessities of life. No, shopping is more of a leisure activity.

So when you shop, is your approach more like a hunt or an activity? 

… To be fair, even hunting has taken on a more leisurely tone lately. I have a friend who just got back from hunting but didn’t shoot anything. He was 15 feet from a moose but they weren’t in season so he didn’t bag the prize. 

There was a time if you came back from the hunt empty-handed you and your family were going hungry. It was imperative that you hunted until you had something to bring home.

Still there’s a distinction between shopping as a hunt or an activity.

For me, when it comes to shopping, I’m more of a hunter than an activity seeker. I like to get in, bag that item I’m looking for and get out.

Recently, due to my wife Lily not feeling all that well, I’ve been doing most of the grocery shopping. This is not my forte, but I’m getting the job done.

Recently on one trip I had to stop a fellow shopper to ask her where I would find egg noodles (at least I was in the right aisle). 

She showed me where the noodles were and told me there were different shapes, to which I said, “I guess I’m going to have to phone a friend for this one.” I had to phone Lily to find out which shape of egg noodles she wanted. That meant using two “lifelines” on one item on that shopping trip. 

The biggest thing I’ve learned lately about shopping is that I’m a hunter. 

… Although at some places it could be tempting to turn shopping into an activity. At Costco there is such a variety of items, an abundance of products and samples to lure you in to making it a leisure outing. 

But not for me – one time I even went to the checkout with one item. The guy in front of me was astonished and asked how I was getting out of there with one thing. 

I’m a hunter, man!

The other day at Costco I picked up four items. When I got home, Lily asked what new things they had in the store. I didn’t know; I never looked. I got my four items and quickly got out. 

No leisure strolling for me. 

Lily, on the other hand, likes shopping and looking at the different items … and that’s how very differently we approach shopping.

Here’s the thing: It is a good thing God’s approach to you and me is a hunter and not just a leisure shopper. There is a song I’m reminded of that gives a picture of this. The song “Reckless Love” has a couple of lines that say, “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights ‘til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine”. If you ever get the sense that someone is seeking you, hunting you down, it’s God … and He’s doing it out of love. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How do you need to respond to God’s love for you today? Leave your comments and questions below.

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