April 19. I Found Your Keys. Want Them Back?

Keys lock and unlock things. They are security for us. We have keys to secure things in certain places so upon our return we will know where everything is. At your place of business, I bet that you have at least one key. A physical retailer like my hometown hardware store locks the doors at closing for example.

The next day someone shows up and unlocks with a key the front door so customers can walk in to transact business. They unlock the gates to the lumber storage. They unlock the ice chest out front of the store. They unlock the safe where the petty cash is held, and they unlock the computer with their password keys.

But we are better as part of a team. I ask you who have you given keys to? Are you the only one with a key to something or are you sharing your keys with others? If you have something so valuable that you are the only one with a key, I challenge you to ask yourself just how valuable it is if you cannot share it.

If you are the only one with access it means you are limiting its value. Keeping it to yourself carries a cost of not sharing. That means it has a price. Why not share it so that it might become priceless? Where might you be holding onto a key tightly?

Could it be that your grip is causing pain and fatigue? It very well could be restricting the growth of your business, your team, and your value proposition. What key will you release your grip on this week?

Do you remember Zacchaeus from the story in Luke 1:1 NLT? "You come down now" is what I think might be going through your mind right now. But I want to focus on his keys but not his keys to his door or lock box. You see he had a very tight grip on his wealth key.

He was known as a sinner among the people. He was a tax collector who we assume took more than what he was to collect, and he kept the overage. Maybe he believed he had to pay for medical care or maybe he needed a bigger house, a fancier robe, or stronger mule, horse, or donkey.

Maybe he just wanted the best sandals that his wealth could buy. So, he gripped his money key tightly and he locked it up securely. But as he took his perch in the tree to see the Nazarene pass by, Jesus called him down and they went to dinner.

They broke bread together at Zacchaeus' house regardless of what everyone else was thinking. And what happened was a miracle. Zacchaeus loosened his grip on his key because Christ shared his key, the security of eternal life with him.

When we unlock our grip, and we share the keys, we give the opportunity to be in relationship with others to unlock their doors. We give them the opportunity to share what it is that they believe is valuable. We give them a chance to create something priceless.

What key are you holding onto so tightly that you have not shared it with anyone in your faith journey? Maybe it could be that it is time to share your keys with someone else in your life. If you think that it is secure from Christ knowing about it, you are probably wrong.

Maybe the first person to share our most valuable keys with is Christ. What key will you share in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you have provided to us the keys to heaven by giving us your Son, Jesus, the Christ. Help us to share the keys that we hold so dearly. Unlock us so that others might experience love, joy, and compassion.

Make our keys more valuable when we share them with others. Hold us from harm as we do so. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,