Busted! Now what?
“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it.” (Jeremiah 17:9) ESV
I got busted yesterday. While going through airport security the TSA spotted something suspicious in my backpack. I was pulled aside and given a full body scan and pat down search. An amiable agent with gloved hand proceeded to gingerly empty my pack piece by piece, a pocket at a time. At the outset he asked me if I had any item that was sharp or used for cutting. I politely replied “No, not to my knowledge.” When I said that, I was reasonably assured because I have traveled with that backpack numerous times.
To my chagrin however, the methodical agent did find the sharp, cutting item he was looking for. It was a small red Swiss army pocket knife. You know the kind – no more than an inch and a half long, just big enough to hold a tooth pick and tiny tweezers in slots on each side. I apologized explaining I was not aware it was there. Holding it in the palm of his hand he asked if I had someone still at the airport I wanted to give it to; otherwise he added, he would have to keep it. I said “No, that’s alright . . . thank you for doing your job.”
I really did not give the incident and loss of the knife a second thought. With several of those little red knives at home and one actually on my key ring, all my teeth picking needs would still be adequately covered.
My mind was preoccupied with more important things – breakfast. After repacking my backpack I made a beeline for the concourse McDonalds to enjoy some pancakes and sausage before making my way to the boarding gate.
As I was savoring my meal I unconsciously licked the syrup from my plastic knife and was startled when the serrated edge cut me as it brushed the corner of my mouth. “Dumb” I admonished myself . . . but that got me to thinking. I had just passed through security where they are on the hunt for items that are sharp and cutting. My little knife was confiscated, and justifiably so, because it could be used as a weapon to hijack a plane, the way the 911 hijackers used box cutters to wreck havoc on our nation 10 years ago.