2 Nothing is hidden that won’t be revealed, and nothing is secret that won’t be brought out into the open. 3 Therefore, whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and whatever you have whispered in the rooms deep inside the house will be announced from the rooftops.
Reflection
Jesus has a way of saying things that are simultaneously comforting and sobering.
This message – that nothing can be hidden from God – was spoken as an antidote to hypocrisy. This is an ongoing theme for Jesus. Christians’ lives should be what-you-see-is-what-you-get. That’s a cardinal rule. Don’t pretend to be one thing in public while acting another way in private.
Why? Because nothing can be hidden. People will eventually catch on. This is the sobering part. And so, for every word we’ve ever spoken that was against our values, every time we bent the rules for our own benefit, every time we’ve stretched the truth to get what we want – none of it is hidden from God. And what Jesus says here is that it can’t be hidden from others, either. That’s the part of the message that should give us pause.
At the same time, we also know that there are so many in this world who seem to prosper despite being something less than genuine. We see people abuse power and authority with no consequences. Folks “get away with it” all the time and in all kinds of ways.
When I feel angry and frustrated about those kinds of behaviors, I remember these verses. Jesus says, “it will all come out eventually.” And historically, that’s 100% true. Very few misdeeds remain secret. At some point, people catch on to who others really are.
I don’t know today whether this word needs to be a sobering or a comforting one for you. In either case, let it sink deeply into your soul as one of the great, immutable truths of the world: “nothing is secret that won’t be brought out into the open.”
So do all you can to live in the light. Be transparent and open, even if it costs you something. Be honest when you make a mistake. Do all you can to ensure that your private behavior lines up with your public persona. When people shout from the rooftops about you, make sure it’s a good word.
by Joe Monahan
For Pondering and Prayer
This type of transformation isn’t possible except by the power of the Holy Spirit. Today, invite the Spirit to dwell in you so that you can live in the light of Christ. And instead of praying for someone’s downfall, pray that they too might experience the same transformation.
Prayer: Most gracious God, in you we live and move and have our being. Help us to live transparently – with our hearts and motivations open – so that others may see your light reflected in us. This we ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
