A Key

There’s a commercial that’s pretty current. It has Reba McIntire holding a key. She’s talking about how a key is just a key unless it’s a key to a house Habitat for Humanity is building for/with someone. Then that key becomes a life changing thing. Have you seen it? I’m such a sap—I tear up every time it comes on.

Yesterday (Friday—since I’m typing this at 5am Saturday morning) we got yet another order for packaging. Ed decided to offer us overtime. Now for the T-Net team this will put them just at 40 hours since they only work 35 during the week. I will get 5 hours of overtime. We’ll be working from 7-12.

Here’s the teary part…No members of management want to come in extra. So I was given a master key to the building and the green light to bring my team in to work! I walked around for about an hour at work grinning from ear to ear. All could think about was how much power there was in a little piece of metal.

I used to carry a massive set of keys. I had keys for the four buildings I worked in, plus my offices. I had keys for the church I was pasturing. I had house keys and car keys. I felt trusted and important with all my keys.

After life crashed, I had a house key and a car key. I couldn’t hardly believe that anyone would trust me with a key again. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be trusted. So when Ed handed me that key—I can barely describe how incredible that felt! I don’t even care that I have to give it back on Monday. Today I am being trusted to open up that huge factory and take my team in to work.

Then, as if that wasn’t enough joy for one day, as I was walking towards the time clock to punch out, Mr. R flagged me down. He told me again how much he appreciated the job I’m doing, my hard work, and the way I’m leading my team. I started to tear up again. I could barely choke out my thought, to thank him for the opportunity to work again.

Mr. R is an amazing man. In a town where it’s hard to find work because so many factories are closing, relocating, and jobs are hard to come by, he has chosen to offer a major packaging contract to a ministry that works with people coming out of jail and prison. Unless you have to mark that “have you ever been convicted of a felony” box, you don’t know how hard getting a job is. When an employer holds two resumes/applications in his/her hands, one of a felon and one not, 99% of the time s/he picks the non-felon—no matter how trained, qualified, or absolutely amazing the felon is.

Now granted, some felons probably aren’t good workers. They’re unstable in their work ethic and experience. Others, however, just need that opportunity to turn things around, to be believed in again so that they can really change their lives. Mr. R offers that kind of an opportunity.

So today, I’m going to walk into that plant with three other felons and one repeat misdemeanor guy and we’re going to package our hearts—glad for the chance to work. Thankful to find someone who ignores the naysayers and takes the risk.

A key really can open a lot of doors. The key I was given opens yet another door marked restored and valuable. I hope some good doors open for you today, too!