A Key Mystery
Matthew 5:21-26
While shopping with Mell, I reached for my keys and to my surprise, pulled out two rings full of keys. Unfortunately, I only owned one. How did an extra set of keys end up in my pocket? Who did they belong to? Did I grab them, thinking they were mine? Am I a secret kleptomaniac taking what doesn’t belong to me? I had no clue. However, someone was missing a set of keys who was likely trapped without a car.
Quickly, we retraced our steps to places visited and asked if anyone had lost their keys. No one recognized the keys or knew of anyone stranded. I discovered a panic button on the key, so for several minutes we drove around the parking lots, hitting the button. No car horns, no flashing lights. Nothing! Someone was frantically looking for their keys. I inconvenienced someone and no matter how hard I tried; I could not rectify my mistake.
Have you ever hurt someone intentionally or unintentionally? Made a mistake that cost somebody else? Said something that hurt someone’s feelings? Sure, you have. Haven’t we all? The real question is: “What do we do about it?” Jesus addressed this very issue. He said, “If you bring your gift to the altar and remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift and be reconciled. Then offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
We all make mistakes. We hurt other people and they hurt us. The lesson: Leave everything behind and seek reconciliation. I had someone else’s keys in my pocket, and I could not go home until I found the owner and corrected my mistake.
My wife started looking through the discount cards on the mystery key ring. One card was for a store in the shopping center we were in. A store where we thought I might have picked up the keys. “Honey,” she said. “Why don’t you ask customer service to check out the owner of this discount card?” Sure enough, customer service scanned the card and identified the owner. Within a few moments they were on the phone notifying the owner of her missing keys.
Whew! I could finally go home. If only, all our mistakes could be so easily resolved. But, I learned an important lesson. We make mistakes. We hurt people and we are hurt. Jesus says, no matter what the mistake or hurt. We must do our best to be reconciled.
I know about several occasions where I failed to seek reconciliation and on other occasions, I was the one hurt. I too must do better at being reconciled. To forgive and be forgiven is a critical part of our witness as a follower of Jesus.
Just one nagging question: How did those keys end up in my pocket? Sigh!
Prayer Challenge: Who hurt you? Who have you hurt? How can you be reconciled?