A couple years ago I was working on a Video Series for Men on Addictions. One of the videos on Men's Addictions is titled “Shrapnel”. To make it realistic I purchased a hand grenade that was hollowed out. It is still very heavy and is quite authentic. People in any type of addiction hurt more than just themselves. When a hand grenade is detonated it usually hurts innocent victims, not just the one that it was intended for.
Someone the other day told me they had a problem with Security at the airport from something they left in their carry on. Then it got me to thinking, which is a bad idea anyway, about my TSA encounter. I had an early morning flight and I got through security at about 5:15am. I put all my stuff in the bins and walked through the machine with no problem. I got on the other side and waited for my luggage. I could see one of the TSA agents looking at the x ray screen with another agent. I had also put my iPod in my baggage and it had a lot of wires so I thought maybe they were looking at that. Then they shut the lines down. No one else could come through. I was daydreaming like normal and all of a sudden now there were about 8 TSA agents around the machine and now 2 policemen beside me along with airport security and a host of other plain clothes people.
Two policemen came over to me and asked me if this was my bag, I told them yes and they started to open the side pocket of my carry on bag. Then they proceeded to pull out a HAND GRENADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From my last talk at a men's breakfast I forgot to put it back in the garage. The policeman asked me if it was real with a very white look on her face but not as white as the look I had. I told her No and then the Bomb Squad person looked at it and pulled out the pin and the inside mechanism. He shook his head that it was not real and then I had to explain what I used it for. Now I know some of you have been yelled at by TSA when you have 4 oz of shampoo instead of 3.5 oz. Now here I have a hand grenade.
I was expecting to be handcuffed, put under a white light in some room in the bowels of the airport. But no, it was as if the Lord made everyone forget I was even there. They did take the hand grenade but I got my bags and proceeded to my gate as if nothing happened. The Lord protected me that day from what could have been a horrible ordeal. They did say I would get a nasty letter and a fine!!!
Mark 4:22 “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.”
The Lord looks at our heart like that x ray machine. I didn’t know I had anything hidden but I was found out. A lot of times our hardened heart tells us we have no sin but we all do. Usually this sin will come out in the open at the worst possible time for all to see. Make an inventory today of your heart. Is there anything in there that needs to be disclosed and brought out into the open before it is too late?
Yes I learned my lesson. I am going to make sure I search EVERYTHING next time. Yes a hand grenade through security at a time when a man had gunpowder in his underwear and we are on an Orange alert was not a bright idea. The Lord saved me. He can save you too
Have a great day and remember to check your bags and your heart.
Brad
