The Keeper of the Keys

The Keeper of the Keys

In the “olden days” they would have gatekeepers who sat at the entrance of a city. These people would guard the city and keep those who would bring harm from entering. However, these people weren’t just protecting against physical harm, they were protecting their manner of living. More specifically, they were guarding what they held sacred—the commandments of God.

Nowadays, at least in America, we don’t have people standing guard at the entrance of a city. We use other means to protect ourselves physically. But spiritually speaking, who ‘holds the keys’ to the things we hold sacred--those gems of truth God has shown us from the hard lessons we’ve learned?  The things that have taken us a lifetime to learn that we want to pass down to the next generation so they don’t have to spend their lifetime learning the same things? The ‘rabbit trails’ of life we have uncovered that get us off track and become dead ends? This is the job of the elder generations.

As the oldest generation in a family passes away there is a shifting that takes place. It was the elders of the city who sat at the gate, and in the same way, the oldest generation today is the ‘Keeper of the Keys.’ This elder generation should seek God for both the wisdom and the passion to guard the family spiritually. The second generation will do more of the ‘enforcement’ of these truths as they raise their children. The way we perpetuate the sacred things in our family is by guarding the hearts and minds of our little ones. They are the doors. They are the entrance way into our families, and our society. As the Keepers of the Keys we want to be sure to share with them the lifetime of wisdom and insight we have learned. We want to teach the ways of God to them, giving them the keys of life.

Of course the gatekeepers didn’t just guard the city, but they also welcomed newcomers. One thing we don’t want to do is to label a fresh perspective on life as heresy. The elders had enough discernment to know the difference between what would harm and what would refresh. When we become a condemning skeptic instead of a properly discerning judge, then we stifle what God wants to do in our families. We must recognize the fresh gifts and talents that He has placed in our young ones, and encourage them to grow in those gifts. Of course, at the same time, we teach them the standard of truth that God has established, and encourage them to continue to seek His truths throughout their lives and embrace it.

The Keeper of the Keys---these are those who guard the spiritual truths that God Himself has given to a family. As we stand at the gate, our little ones--our family’s future and our heritage--will grow and become a foundation for future generations to build on. When the gates are properly kept, the truths discovered over the years will remain to guide and to bless each generation.