In the hurries of the everyday, it is easy to miss out on fun moments that entertain by their humor and timing, things that catch us unaware and ripe for the picking. They include small ironies, laugh-at-ourself mistakes, subtle innuendos over coffee, and whatever causes unbidden smiles or chuckles to sprout. Once one begins to cultivate those moments, it is gratifying to see how often they occur. It also confirms how frequently we used to push them aside without second thoughts.

So it was that I found myself in the good company of a friend last week as we traversed eighteen holes of a disc golf course designed and built for exactly that. The fall foliage was in full swing and the contrasty skies provided a perfect backdrop. Thank goodness for digital camera phones as I took shot after shot, intent on sorting through them later.

As many of us do, I shared the best pictures with several family members that evening, garnering all the right hoped-for responses. One person’s reply, however, forever altered how I will view one of the shared pictures. The frame included an amazing background of trees that were at their peak, accented by the deep green of the fairway that had yet to conclude fall was here. “That was so cool to find the bear in the woods on that one picture,” was the response.

Bear? I got a picture of a bear? Back through the picture gallery I went, magnifying each photo with the intent of spotting the bear which I presumed would be seen emerging from the trees. I had to consult another person for help in finding it. Much to my chagrin it was before me the whole time. A stand of densely spaced trees was resplendent in full golds and yellows except for one tall tree with dark red foliage between the rest. Indeed, it appeared as a larger than life teddy bear parting the branches in order to step out onto the fairway. Now I’m the one who is pestering my patient family with images accompanied by, “See the bear? See the bear?”

It took a longer, broader view and a change of scale to see the bear well, but now there is no refuting it. Christian education is subject to the same myopia that kept us from seeing the bear. Once it was brought to our attention, however, it became a part of our experience on the course. I will always view the course a little differently because of the bear.

How many opportunities do we miss to see something wonderful that is clearly before us in the moment? Are we able and willing to expand our theological horizons or do we prefer unyielding dogma? There is fear on the part of many that raising questions can only mean we are not as worthy as the next person. The reality is, the ‘next person’ has as many questions, doubts, and misgivings as anyone else regarding faith and religion in their lives. On which side of the literal divide do you fall? If you need your Bible to reflect the inerrant, infallible Word, then dive right in. If you believe the Bible to be divinely inspired though penned by human hand, then you may view things in an entirely different way.

Don’t hesitate to demand something new of your faith perspective. Just don’t be too surprised when a bear shows up in the middle of it all.