There are few things more American than a small town 4th of July parade.  Cars decked out in crepe paper.  Folks lining the streets waving flags.  And candy.  Buckets of candy.  

Have you seen how people throw this stuff out?  It’s like chumming the water for sharks.  Once the feeding frenzy begins, it quickly escalates into a full-out candy apocalypse. Six-year-olds claw past each other like a piece of Starburst is the last food on earth.  It’s like Lord of the Flies meets Willie Wonka.

A couple of years ago our family was hanging out with some friends watching one of these fiascos.  My friend’s preschool son, Riley, was having trouble getting candy. The big kids kept jumping out in front of him and picking the pavement clean before he even had a chance.  

But then his dad noticed there were a few pieces in the road about ten feet away. One float had already passed by, and there was a big gap in the parade so his dad told him, “Riley, go get it.  Go get the candy.”  

Apparently, Riley didn’t see the candy on the street.  He took off at a full sprint chasing the last float down the road. I’ve never seen a kid run so fast. He wasn’t just going to settle for one piece of the candy. He was going straight to the source.  

He’d probably made it a good fifty feet before his dad bolted after him.  This kid was not turning back.   He was taking Thomas Jefferson’s “pursuit of happiness” line from the Declaration of Independence seriously.  Fists pumping, legs flying, Riley was pursuing the source of his happiness with all of his might.  

I have a lot to learn from that.  

Too many times I’ve settled for the candy in the street.  The stray pieces.  The leftovers.  The little things I thought would make me happy, but soon left me hungry for more.  

Achievements?  Approval?  Possessions?  Not bad by themselves, but when I count on those to satisfy me, I’m sadly disappointed every time.  The flavor wears out faster than five cent gum, and I’m left looking for the next thing that can do the trick.  

But if I take my cue from Riley and run straight to the source, that’s a different story altogether.  Jesus’ brother James once wrote, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God” (James 1:17 NLT).   

The God who invented chocolate and beaches and laughter is a God worth knowing. The pleasures he’s created are simply a reflection of the character and nature of God himself. And even if the circumstances of my life rob me of enjoying what God’s created, they can never stop me from enjoying God.  

It’s far too easy to value the gifts that God gives us over the Giver of all good things, and that’s when we really miss out. The pursuit of happiness is great and all, but the pursuit of God leads to a deep and lasting joy.

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This post is an expert from my 2016 devotional book Holiday Road.