The "Key" to Prosperity

"What was the worst thing Janice ever did?"  Dick asked my parents shortly after we were married.  He had a colorful collection of boyhood mischief stories.  He thought my childhood tales lacked adventure and authenticity.  So he went to my folks.

He thought I presented myself as too good as a child.  He was looking for the "dirt".  My mother picked a charming story about potty training and me insisting on unrolling the toilet paper.  Dick and my dad scoffed.

My dad said, "Oh I have stories!  I remember one night when she called me on the phone to come to the mall."  Yikes I couldn't believe he picked the mall key story.  I'll give you my side.  It was the first Christmas break of my college years.  My high school friends had gone out to the movies at the mall.  I had driven my car.  It was after midnight when the movie ended and it was very cold.

The key in my car door lock didn't work!  We went into teenage girl panic as only a gaggle of girl teenagers would late at night, in a dark parking lot, locked out of the car with the mall about to close and cell phones had not been invented!

I sent a friend in to call my dad before the pay phone in the mall was unavailable.  We were sure the lock was frozen.  He needed to bring a torch!

A few minutes later Dad arrived and quietly took the keys from my hand.  He inserted the other car key.  The door miraculously opened.  He then turned and drove into the night and went back to bed.  (Yes, in the old days, we had two keys, one for the door and one for the ignition.)

OK, this incident was not my finest moment but I was surprised and relieved when he picked this story.  I was a sharp tongued little girl.  There must have been times when I said mean things.  Yet my Daddy picked a humorous but embarrassing story.

That's why I thought of my Dad when I read Deuteronomy 5:16.    God tells us to honor our father and mother so we will live long and prosper. (That is my translation.)

Perhaps if we take time to honor and remember the parents who gave us life, provided for us and managed our maturing, we would learn how to honor and remember God, the true provider, giver and nurturer.  When we take time to thank those who have given to us to better our lives, we remember that "it's not all about us."  I do not deserve full credit for my accomplishments.

The world teaches us to blame others for the tragedies and consequences of life.  God teaches us to honor those who have provided for us and made our lives possible, better and long.  Maybe that is prosperity- life that is possible, better and long?

Thanks Dad.  I honor you for being a man of honor and for sharing a humorous yet slightly embarrassing story instead of those times I would be really embarrassed!  And thanks for never mentioning the mall key story until Dick asked, especially the morning after!