A Music About NOT Losing Keys

One of the best “geek electronic gadgets” I ever purchased is a device called a Tile. Initially some folks I know (and perhaps even live with) made fun of me for purchasing a set of these devices. They leveled three criticisms if I recall.

1. Such devices would never work,

2. These devices were totally unnecessary,

3. And purchasing such a thing meant I was officially old!

Now if you are unfamiliar with this modern marvel - a Tile is a device that you attach to an item which you might worry about misplacing. Such items might include keys or a wallet or a Work ID badge. Then you connect the Tile device to your phone and through the magic of Bluetooth technology your phone can help you find whatever it is you misplaced. They even have a way for the device to help find your phone if you lose it, but it is an upgrade that I have been too cheap to buy.

Having had Tiles for several years now let me respond to the criticisms.

1. They work great.

2. The same folks who thought it was unnecessary now own several and use it to find things more than I do.

3. And I would argue that I wasn’t old, but I cannot seem to remember how old I am. Maybe my age is listed on my AARP card! 😊

Of course, I bought the Tile because I was continually misplacing either my keys or my wallet or BOTH! Actually, I think people were hiding them from me to help push me over the ledge! Folks were especially good at hiding my keys…leaving them in the cushions of my recliner or on my desk or by my razor or in the ignition of the car or the lock of the front door. Once they were even in the refrigerator.

So, I wonder if any of you have you ever lost your keys like me? It’s more than a tad bit frustrating when that happens because there are so many things you can’t do without your keys. You need a key to drive your car even if you do not have to actually put the key in the ignition with some cars to make it work. (I have no idea how that piece of sorcery works.) Most of us need a key to enter our home. A lot of us need keys for our work. There are keys for safes and safety deposit boxes. My mom and dad need one to get into their mailbox. Without our keys, we can feel lost, frustrated or even powerless.

Of course, there are other keys that we have been given by God to help unlock things. We have the gifts of time, talents, and treasures which we can use as keys - opening hope, joy, peace and love for others in our service to God. And together as a church, when we combine our efforts, it seems more and more doors can be opened.

Friends, the truth is the church needs our gifts of time, talent, and treasure. They are the only keys it has available to do its mission and ministry.

When we don't give all we can, it’s as if they are missing. Under those circumstances, the church can do little. However – and this isn’t hard math here - the more we give of the gifts we have been given the more the church can accomplish.

Each gift of talent helps us praise the Lord in a new and meaningful way. It also may be the one thing needed to help others find a full life that can only be experienced through a relationship with Christ.

Each gift of treasure helps us to provide the materials to feed, educate, and meet other needs of our community and our world.

Each gift of time helps us put talent and treasure to use as we care for each other and our neighbors, both nearby and elsewhere in the world.

Friends, don’t lose your keys – they are too vital. But also, don’t hide them under a rock somewhere. Use them. For it is then that we can help others by doing justice, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God as we proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand and all are invited to come to the celebration!