April 12: LOOK AT YOUR KEYS

What is the significance of keys in your life? How many do you carry with you when you leave your home? How many people do you know who have a bigger key ring than you? Does that bother you?
A student of the Zen religion met a Christian missionary in his home country who carried a larger number of keys. He assumed this person was irreligious. Keys represent attachment. They seek to assure self-protection and self-enclosure. They create barriers, closing in and closing out. To this man of a pagan world view, Christians and keys are contradictory to the message of Jesus. Jesus never carried any keys. Since the primary purpose of keys is to secure and protect our “stuff”, Jesus didn’t need any because He didn’t even own a bed. (Matthew 8:20) Would be followers were turned away by His telling them they would no longer need their keys. “Go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in Heaven. Then, come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21 NIV) Jesus certainly was nonchalant about owning a lot of stuff.
Do you drive a luxury car? Is your automobile a possession or transportation? Does your church parking lot resemble the Country Club parking lot? Every city and large town now has several “self-storage” businesses. People have so many possessions! We just add another key to our chain.
In Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV) Jesus speaks about the danger of trusting your key chain. “But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Don’t let your life be defined by your key ring. The so-called “safety deposit box” in the vault at your bank even requires that someone else (the bank) hold a duplicate of your “key”. So much for the security of that key.
Look closely at your key ring. It may be time for you to throw some away.

“God, why is it that we seek security in putting something under lock and key
or self-affirmation in impersonal things. We need you most of all! Amen”