The Key Master

Hello and welcome to Scattered Moments. Brief reflections on faith and the quiet places where grace appears. And today's episode is kind of different. I want to share with you an experience that I had about well, it's been about two years ago, and it's absolutely true. I checked into this hotel in Louisiana. Ever walked into a place and think, did I miss something? Nobody behind the desk, no employees anywhere, just a bunch of tired travelers staring at an empty counter. You know how in those dreams where you need to get somewhere important but you can't? Well that was us. Except we weren't dreamy. We were just in beautiful Pineville, Louisiana. And then this skinny truck driver sidles up next to me. He looked like he hadn't slept since the Obama administration. And he asks, You got a reservation? I tell him yes, and he says, I'm just passing through on the way to New Orleans, and I've got a reservation too. And then this is the kicker. This guy just says, I think I know how to do this. I've seen it done a thousand times. And then he hops over the counter like Tom Cruise, just starts rummaging through the drawers. I'm standing there thinking, great, now I'm an accessory to all this. And then he pulls out this key card machine, grabs a card, slides it, and then says, Room 230 work for you? As casually as he's asking me if I want fries with that. I'm just so tired, I just nod. He makes me a key and warns me someone else might be in the room. Real assuring, right? Now, this sounds like a stretch, but just go with me. When I think about diving into the depths of my faith, digging into prayer, sharing my faith, or being Jesus to someone who's struggling, I have a choice. I can hang out passively, or I could do the hop over the counter move. I don't often do that because I have this strong imposter syndrome. It's real. I don't have the name tag. I don't have that depth of connection with Jesus that I so truly long to have. How could I help someone when I'm struggling myself? I definitely don't look the part. But here's the beautiful thing. God doesn't wait for the professionals. The truck driver didn't have a name tag either or a uniform, but he had access to what I needed. Some place to lay my head. Sometimes I think we're waiting for the experts to show up, the ones with the perfect words and the perfect lives who never say anything wrong. I'll let you in on a little secret. Those guys aren't coming. They don't exist. It's just us. Meanwhile, people are standing at the counter of life, just needing someone to help them find rest, hope, peace, grace. We've been given access to the keys of the kingdom. God has called us to join him on this wild, beautiful adventure. So maybe it's time we hop the counter and help somebody today who needs a friend, who needs a hand, who needs a word or a message. Even if we have to warn them that we're not entirely sure what we're doing. By the way, the next morning in Pineville, the manager was so embarrassed by the whole thing that he comped the room. I didn't have to pay a dime. That's kind of like the gospel to you. I love how Peterson renders it in 1 Corinthians 4, 7 through 10. If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us. As it is, there's not much of a chance of that. You know for yourself that we're not much to look at. We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized. We're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do. That's today's scattered moments. Until next time, take care. Notice the scattered moments and share the grace.