Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

This walk down memory lane is one of my stupidest childhood escapades. During third-grade recess in 1967, my best friend, Jonita, was standing at the top of the slide while I was standing at the landing of the slide. I don’t know why, but I tossed a small rock up the slide and accidentally hit her in the forehead. I wasn’t aiming at her head (if I had I would have missed.) I’m not left-handed but I’ve always thrown a ball with my left hand which probably explains why I can’t hit the side of a barn. But on that day, my random aim was right on target for pain. Thankfully, Jonita wasn’t seriously hurt, but there was blood and a flabbergasted look on both of us. Before writing this column, I asked her if she remembered our recess fiasco and she said that she didn’t. Since I was the stone thrower, I remember the incident well because I felt so awful.

In Jesus’ day, the religious scholars and Pharisees seemed to be ready, willing, and able to stone anyone they deemed needed to die. These religious leaders erred on the side of criticism and condemnation. Dottie Rambo wrote a song in 1978 entitled, “He was the Talk of the Town“ with the lyrics referencing John 8:1-11. “The scribes and the Pharisees, brought a woman to be stoned. ‘Now Moses’ Law says you must die for the sin that you have done!’ The Master didn’t speak a word, He just wrote upon the ground. When they read the news there was none to accuse; He was the talk of the town.” Jesus didn’t deny the provision of the Law, but He challenged any sinless religious leader to cast the first stone. Fortunately, they all walked away with nothing to say or throw.

As modern-day believers, are we more ready to stone people or are we more apt to love people? Just imagine carrying a heavy backpack full of stones everywhere we go. It would be much better if we didn’t carry the weight of that unnecessary burden. It’s not our job to condemn anyone. Even Jesus didn’t condemn. He told the woman caught in the act of adultery, “I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin” (John 8:11 TPT.)

In the same chapter, we find the Pharisees extremely offended and angry with Jesus. “At that point they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden from them and left the Temple” (John 8:59 NLT). Historical records substantiate that there were workmen repairing or building additions to the temple at this particular time. So the stones the Pharisees threw toward Jesus were pieces of stone which had been hewed off by the construction crew.

It would be better to carry around some extra cash to give away when a good opportunity arises than to carry a gunnysack full of rocks. Let’s look for someone to help rather than condemn. Christ followers are to live and practice the truth of the Gospel. There are  ample opportunities to open our heart and hand toward the misfortunate, lost, and hurting. We can choose to fill our days showing love, mercy, and loving-kindness like Jesus did.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born again because of what God has done. That person knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8 NIRV.) Our beliefs, words, and actions must square up with the teachings of Jesus.

The Key: If you love others, you won’t throw rocks at ‘em — unless it’s an accident.

This wasn’t like Dave.  History had proven that.  My husband was more like a weed-eater or vacuum kind of guy.  Not a jewelry gifter.  But clearly, the evidence was proving otherwise.

The notice came in my Email that Dave had made a purchase at FDJ Claddagh Jewelry C. Jewelry for $134.98 and charged it on our credit card.  May I repeat…Soooo not like him, not to mention, if he purchased some gems, he would go to Bartelsmeyer’s in Fort Scott.  Still, I, unlike almost all of my friends, am not a jewelry kind of person. Dave knows that.

There was, however, a possibility that FDJ Claddagh Jewelry C. Jewelry was going out of business and everything was 99% off which certainly would peak my husband’s attention and probably persuade him to surprise me with some earrings or a bracelet or a jewel-laced bobby pin.  Yes, a possibility. But why would Dave put this charge on our shared credit card, the one that alerted me of every purchase?  He would ruin the surprise. A “senior moment,” perhaps?

All day long, I was confounded. What if this, instead of being a very generous, upcoming anniversary gift from my husband, was credit card fraud?  If I asked Dave, insinuating that it was, I would be admitting that I didn’t expect him to purchase a piece of jewelry. What a way to destroy his attempt to do something special! How could I be so heartless?  (Had jewelry stores sold battery chargers or leaf blowers, I wouldn’t have given it another thought.)

But what if Dave hadn’t made this purchase?  What if I let this go and the criminal who abused our card did it again and that person didn’t pay attention to the credit card alert and ended up going bankrupt and had to live under a bridge for the rest of his/her life?

I spoke to my girlfriend about it.  She said I definitely could NOT ask Dave.  Period.

I listened intently to all of her reasons and then…

I asked him.

He had made no such purchase.  Immediately, he called our credit card company to report the fraud.  His card was deactivated and a new card will be sent.

What I don’t understand is this:  how are people able to get away with this?  On the back of our cards, Dave and I have written “See ID.”  Why don’t the register attendants look at the signature?  Why are they so trusting?

I am grateful for the alert my credit card sent me. My girlfriend’s 83-year-old mother gave away most of her life savings (over $100,000) in increments of $10,000 when she was threatened by someone impersonating the I.R.S.  She will never get that money back.  She had no credit card company to alert her to the fraud.

God has used this situation to get my attention. It’s easy for me to fault a sales clerk for not being alert, but am I not equally as guilty, and with a much more serious issue at stake? 1 Peter 5:8: Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. When we are not on our toes, when we stop looking to God’s Word for advice, we will find ourselves in danger much more deadly than a fraudulent jewelry charge.  Colossians 4:2 reminds us where we need to stay alert: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.

My friends and I were talking about how we need to improve our prayer life.  Many times, our praise, requests and thanks are lacking in a heart-knowledge of the recipient of our words.  One friend shared that at a dinner party, a guest asked if he could say grace.  The hostess was thrilled he had volunteered.  With heads bowed, he said this: “Grace.”  And then he laughed.  I wonder if God did.