Daily Devotional for November 23, 2018
Jailbird
“Kevin wants me to work on our hovercraft project at his house, Mom,” Tyshaun said. “But I’m not going.”
Mom picked up her keyring. “Why not? Did you guys have a fight?”
“No. I found out why Kevin’s dad doesn’t live with them. It’s because he’s in prison. Now you see why I can’t go over there, don’t you?”
Mom shook her head. “No, Tyshaun, I don’t. Why?”
“I can’t be friends with someone whose dad’s in prison! He must have done something really bad to have to go there.”
Mom slung her purse over her shoulder. “If you aren’t going to Kevin’s, then you’d better come to the dress shop with me.”
Grumbling, Tyshaun followed his mom outside. She locked the door, and they started toward the car.
“Wait! I left the dress I was going to exchange inside. Can you get it for me?” Mom handed him the giant keyring.
“Which key is it?”
Mom shrugged. “Try any of them. The key that works for me might not work for you.”
“What?” Tyshaun said. “Only one key unlocks the front door no matter who uses it, Mom. I have to use the right key or I’ll be stuck on the porch.”
“Exactly! Only one key opens our door for you, me, or anyone else.” Mom took the keyring back and found the right key. “It’s like the door to heaven. It only opens with one key—the grace that comes through Jesus. It won’t open for you with one key and Kevin’s dad with another. We all need the same grace to unlock the door.”
“So anyone who receives God’s grace can get in, even if they’ve done something bad enough to go to prison? That doesn’t seem fair.”
“God’s grace isn’t fair, Tyshaun. It’s better than that. None of us deserve to have eternal life with Jesus, but He offers it to us anyway. And if He offers us grace, shouldn’t we give it to other people?”
“You mean by working on a hovercraft instead of shopping for dresses?”
Mom’s eyes sparkled. “Want me to drop you off at Kevin’s house?”
“Yes, please. And make sure I have the right key in case I beat you home!” – Holland Webb
How about you?
Do you know someone who’s in prison? Each one of us has sinned against God, and only the grace that comes through Jesus gives us the key to eternal life with Him. None of us can get in on our own, but because Jesus took the punishment for our sins, no one has done anything so wicked that God can’t forgive them for it. Jesus offers grace to all of us, no matter what we’ve done.
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