What's Hidden In Your Password?

Our lives revolve around passwords and choices that help us to control our private information. Our social security number or our signature used to hold all the power. Now, a ‘random’ sequence of digits and letters, or merely a ‘squiggly line’ gains access into our secret places. I can sign for my bank account, you can sign for my account and my bank teller can sign for my account.

Yep, just this past week a bank teller - whose electronic signature apparatus was being difficult – stopped requesting my signature and simply squiggled a line to access my cash. She didn't even ask for my permission. It was a bit bizarre to witness this ‘fraud’ – or what would have been considered forgery a few years ago  - by my own banking institution. But, we both got what we wanted. She was able to work around her tech challenges to accomplish my desired goal. That's good, right?

Access to 'secure' information is rapidly changing. Privacy is near impossible. Passwords and password requirements are ever changing. We all struggle to come up with creative sequences that aren’t related to significant numbers in our lives. We are often faced with the dilemma of keeping a log of our passwords - or to choose the ‘save my password’ option. So much for secrecy. It’s crazy!

One of the best passwords I ever used was a sequence of characters that was assigned to our first internet account. It consisted of six random characters - one capital letter, two lower case letters, one number and two more capital letters. Since I couldn’t come up with a more unique sequence of characters, unrelated to my personal identifiers in life, I decided to memorize it. And, 20 years later I’m still using it!

Soon I was forced to create new passwords when requirements such as “containing eight digits” became my reality. Once I figured out a new secret code (and was quite proud of myself) my computer would inform me that it was too “weak,” and I was forced to be even more creative. But then, I learned an even better way to formulate a meaningful password that no one could guess, and I could remember. Hooray!

How?

By using a Bible verse. Yep! The best part of this system is that God has actually used my password to remind me of His love and care - when least expected. In my pursuit of paying a bill on time, He has caused me to stop in my tracks using my security access to touch my mind and heart with the truth and peace found in His Word. That’s a win, win in my book! After all, we were instructed in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:18 to take God’s Word and impress them on our hearts, to fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. He even says to bind them on your foreheads. Now, I know this isn’t the traditional Jewish interpretation of binding Scriptures  to our bodies with phylacteries (small boxes containing scripture tied to the body), but a secret password is a great way to ‘bind’ God’s Word into our hearts and minds!

Without divulging my password, here’s a couple examples of how you could adapt a favorite Scripture - or one you want to memorize – as your new security measure.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Try one of these combos - 

Whateveristnrpla48

WisTNRPLA48

tnrplaPhil48

(I've always wanted to put Philippians 4:8 to memory, maybe I'll use that verse some day!)

or how about this one -

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 123:23-24

Here's some possible options - 

smGakmh123

SearchmeGodPs123

smGakmHEART2324

(There are days I sure could use the brief reminder to ask God to test my heart!)

You get the drift. Have fun with it. Be creative. Find ways to incorporate God’s Word into your everyday life. We’re connected to so many things in this world of ours - phones, tablets, Chromebooks, laptops and social media. They threaten to consume our attention at every turn. Instead of allowing these things to control us, let’s use it to our advantage by finding new, creative ways to stay connected with God and to cherish His Word.

May we all find creative ways to live out Psalm 119:11 in ours lives and be able to honestly profess to God that “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” We are forced to learn new things each day, why not choose to start hiding more of God's Word in our hearts - and in our passwords!

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