Keys in an African Fish

Pastor Darrell found this illustration in my archive and suggested it is in the "Too Good" category. I had the same reaction when I saw it a few years back. On the one hand, Billy Graham is highly respected. My good friend Glenn Gunderson is no dummy, either. I guess the elements of the story are not inconceivable - just as Peter found a coin in a fish's mouth, this woman found her husband's keys. A bottom-dwelling fish might do this, and a husband who had this happen to him would certainly feel like converting!

On the other hand, stories from the Third World often seem too credulous. Miracles happen a little too easily there, or at least they seem to happen a lot more than they do here. Then I feel guilty because I wonder if I have been too affected by Western doubt and skepticism. (Even my esteem of Graham is tempered by the feeling he will use just about any story if it is effective, a common Evangelical pitfall). There is probably no way to collaborate the story. What are your thoughts?

Story conveyed by Billy Graham:

I recently heard the story of a mother in an African nation who came to Christ, and grew strong in her commitment and devotion to the Lord. As so often happens, however, this alienated her from her husband, and over the years he grew to despise and hate her new devotion to Christ.

His anger and bitterness reached their climax when he decided to kill his wife, their two children and himself, unable to live in such self-inflicted misery. But he needed a motive. He decided that he would accuse her of stealing his precious keys - the keys were to the bank, the house, and the car. Early one afternoon he left his bank and headed for the tavern. His route took him across a footbridge extended over the headwaters of the Nile River. He paused above the river and dropped the keys. He spent all afternoon drinking and carousing.

Later that afternoon, his wife went to the fish market to buy the evening meal. She purchased a large Nile perch. AS SHE WAS GUTTING THE FISH, TO HER ASTONISHMENT IN ITS BELLY WERE HER HUSBAND'S KEYS. How had they gotten there?

What were the circumstances? She did not know; but she cleaned them up and hung them on the hook.

Sufficiently drunk, the young banker came home that night and pounded open the front door shouting, "Woman, where are my keys?" Already in bed, she got up, picked them off the hook in the bedroom, and handed them to her husband. When he saw the keys, by his own testimony he immediately became sober and was instantly converted. He fell on his knees, sobbing, asked for forgiveness, and confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

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Source - Rev. Glenn Gunderson; First Baptist Church, Pomona, California