The Key to Faith

I had a key made this morning. I started calculating everywhere I’ve lived and work, and I figure I’ve had about 40 different car/house/office/work keys so far in my life. If I added every other key I’ve been responsible for (auxiliary keys at work, storage facilities, work vehicles, etc) the number would easily double or maybe even triple. Many of those keys I’ve had copies made.

In other words, I’ve made enough copies to know that I need to try out the copy I had made today before I return the original. I’ve been around the block enough times to know that copies don’t always work. They may look the same, but you never know it is a true copy until you insert the key into the lock and it actually does the job.

I am a fool in many ways, but I’m not foolish enough to get locked out again by a bad duplicate key!

The anonymous author of Hebrews concludes his letter with this bit of advice: “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” (13.7 NIV)

It’s interesting that we are not advised to imitate their life. You can “consider” their life. Study it, learn from it, and more than likely be disappointed by it. You don’t know a leader (if you really know them) whose life should be imitated. Leaders let you down.

Instead, we are told to imitate their faith. Look at their faith and how it gets them through whatever it is they do that will disappoint you. If their faith allows them to walk through that valley of darkness without abandoning their trust in God, then it’s a faith to be imitated and duplicated. Sometimes, of course, that key of faith doesn’t work. It might look genuine, but it is not a good copy.

So if you’re looking for a faith to emulate, you might want to look at those who have seen the worst that life can throw at them. There may be much to learn from how their faith allows them to handle their crisis, addictions, foibles, mistakes, habits, dysfunctional relationships, deteriorating health, and loses. To see if faith works, you’ve got to see it tested.