Don't Forget to Lock the Door

I’m a door-locker. My car doors are always locked. My house is always locked. I have had coworkers tap on my office door and not be able to gain entry because I had locked it behind me. It’s a habit.

It used to drive my husband crazy. He would ask, “why do we need the door locked in the middle of the day?” But just like wearing a seatbelt, (yes, I know it’s law) I insisted because of the safety factor.

One of the things I wanted on our home 20-22 years ago were those heavy-duty metal, locking, screen doors. I love a good breeze in my home, but I would rather not have my front or back doors left open and unsecure.

Someone visiting made fun of my “security” screen doors stating that they would not keep anyone out if they wanted in. True enough, but my reply was, “neither will that pane of glass, if they really want to come in.”

In truth, if someone wants in a space badly enough, they will find a way easily enough.

Wendell was a fence builder. He installed many security gates as well. But he used to say gates and fences only keep the honest people out. Such a fact.

I think his idea that fences mainly keep honest people out, can teach us a valuable lesson. Just like fences cannot stop determined people from doing wrong, rules and good behavior do not always stop people who want to be bad. But they help guide those who want to be good and do the right thing.

Matthew 5:37 tells us: "All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." NIV

It’s important it is to be truthful and honest in our words and actions. It's like having a rule to always tell the truth. Oh wait, there was a truth telling rule long before Matthew. It’s found in Exodus chapter 20. Ten Rules to live by and the 9th rule tell us “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

We are to love. That’s it. Seems too simple until you have tried to love the unlovable, but God call us to love. And of course, God’s greatest desire is that we love Him; but His second greatest desire is that we love and respect each other.

“…let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” Ephesians 4:25 ESV

If we develop the kind of love for each other that Christ has for us, this world would be changed overnight. If every human treated every neighbor with goodness and fairness, there would be no need, or desire, to lock our doors, lock up our property. Lock anything. We would know the type of trust God desires most for us.

1 John 3:18 “…let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” ESV

by Jeanette Stark – Monday, August 7, 2023