A small gesture… something to let someone know you’re
thinking of them. I have been reminded several times throughout the past year
how significant a gesture can be. Simple things like a call, a text, an
email or a gift from family or friends – they have the ability to make your day
that much brighter.
Back in January of this year, I received an email
from my mother in law saying that she had been thinking of me and was sending a
surprise my way. She ended her email with one of my favorite Bible verses,
Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do
not see.” A couple of days later I opened the mailbox to find a package from
The Giving Keys with my name on it. Inside was a delicate key bracelet with the
word ‘Fearless’ etched onto its surface. The receipt noted that she had ordered
the bracelet to have the word ‘Faith’ inscribed on it but instead they had
accidentally sent a different word. I then realized that the lovely verse that my
mother in law had included in the email was about faith because the bracelet
she was sending was to represent the same message. She offered to have it fixed but it occurred
to me that ‘Fearless’ is actually a perfect word for me to wear during a season
when I have found that I let my fears sneak up and get the best of me far too
often. And if you think about it, to have faith is to be fearless…maybe it was packaged
wrong for a reason…perhaps it was packaged right all along.
If you haven’t heard of The Giving Keys: They have a
sort of pay it forward philosophy. They are an organization that employs those
who are trying to transition out of homelessness. These people that they employ
are the ones who work on the key engravings for bracelets, necklaces and other
products. The keys each have one word on them ranging from courage to love to strength.
And there’s even an option to put a custom word on the key if you have
something specific in mind. The idea is that you wear the key and the message
that it bears until you encounter someone who you think needs that message. You
then give it to the next person who wears it until they feel someone else needs
it more than they do… and so on.
It’s a pretty rad give-give win-win concept: The Giving
Keys gives a homeless person employment, this person gains self-confidence,
independence and an income while spending their days putting positive messages
on keys, the keys are then sent out all over the country and are purchased by
someone who either needs/wants the message for themselves or who knows someone
who could use it, the key is worn and serves as a daily reminder of that message,
and then one day the key holder encounters someone else who they feel needs
that message and they give the key to them…
Having been on the receiving end of a Giving Key I
can tell you that it was such a sweet surprise to receive that gift. And it
makes it that much sweeter to have received something that represents and
supports such a positive movement.
I’m looking forward to the day when I encounter the
opportunity to give my key to someone else who may need it…who knows how far it
may travel and who it may help along the way.
Read more about The Giving Keys here:
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