Of the metaphors and illustrations Jesus used during His time preaching and teaching, He seemed to return periodically to the idea of light and that we should not hide the light that we have been given. Several weeks ago, we touched on one of these passages, and in our episode for this week, we turn our attention onto another time Jesus uses this metaphor.
However, unlike the last time we read about Jesus using this metaphor, this time Jesus shares a different conclusion and He emphasizes a different truth that we should learn.
Our passage is found in the gospel of Luke, chapter 8, and we will read it from the New American Standard Bible translation. Starting in verse 16, Luke tells us Jesus taught:
16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”
In these few verses, while Jesus shares a similar visual picture of not hiding a lamp after lighting it, the truth Jesus concludes with is powerful and unique. Jesus shifts our focus away from shining our light and onto the truth that nothing we think is secret will ultimately remain secret. And like Jesus teaches about in other parts of the gospels, we should be intentional about how we listen, and we should be intentional about what we have been given.
What do secrets, listening well, and being responsible have to do with lighting a lamp? On the surface, it would appear as though these ideas don’t readily align with each other. For example, keeping a secret is more logical in some cases than exposing the secret, while the metaphor of lighting a lamp implies keeping a secret is illogical and fundamentally impossible in the long run.
However, Jesus placed these seemingly opposite ideas together for a reason, so let’s discuss why He may have done this.
First off, what would be the biggest examples of secrets that should remain hidden? While it might be logical to lump activities like theft, moral failures, sexual sins, coveting, lust, lies, and/or other less reputable activities into being secrets that we might believe should remain hidden, there are much fewer actual examples of secrets that shouldn’t be exposed.
A secret about harm being done to someone needs to be exposed, because by exposing it, potential future harm can be avoided. A secret where someone felt hurt or experienced loss needs to be exposed for the same reasons.
Very few types secrets benefit society when they stay hidden. This is simply because secrets separate people. While two people might feel closer when they have a secret that is hidden from everyone else, outside observers will eventually notice that those with secrets will start to pull away from the community. When the members of a community isolate themselves, the community suffers.
In this passage, Jesus doesn’t focus on keeping secrets. The emphasis is on exposing secrets and shining light on them. The clear truth Jesus emphasizes is that we don’t have the choice about whether a secret will stay a secret. All we can do once a secret is present is choose to reveal it on our terms, or let time expose it outside of our terms.
The destiny of secrets is ultimately for them to be revealed, and when we honestly think about it, nothing is truly a secret, especially when we bring God into the picture. It is foolish to think we could keep a secret from God, who knows everything, and sees everything, and who understands our thoughts better than we do. The best-case scenario is that a secret is kept between one or more people and God – except that through Jesus, God has challenged us with the truth that all secrets will be revealed.
We don’t have the choice of whether a secret will ultimately be revealed. The choice we do have for a limited time is exposing the secret on our own terms.
While this would be a great place to finish off our episode, I want to take a few more minutes and share two other ideas regarding secrets.
The first idea is that when discussing secrets, there is a close cousin to a secret we call a surprise. While secrets have a negative reputation, surprises generally have a positive one. However not all secrets are negative and not all surprises are positive. So what is the difference?
In my own mind, we should define a surprise as a secret that is designed to be revealed and as a secret that when it is revealed uplifts all of those present. A surprise party is a good example. While those who the party is for don’t usually know all the details, or perhaps even any of the details, of the party, they get to enjoy the event and after the surprise has been revealed, the secret-surprise is no longer a secret. A surprise party is a temporary secret.
Another example is when a couple learns they are pregnant. There are many weeks that the gender of the child is unknown, and even when they reach the point of learning the gender for themselves, they can choose to keep it a secret from others, or they can choose how they want to share their great news with their friends.
However, the nature of this secret also demonstrates the temporary nature of secrets and surprises because there will be a point that a birth occurs and those in the baby’s life will learn the new arrival’s biological gender.
Secrets pull people apart because they never want to be revealed to others. Surprises can draw people together because of the release that happens when the news is shared.
The other idea that is worth sharing is that it is possible – and perhaps even desirable – to live a life where secrets aren’t even necessary. If we lived our lives knowing that our history would be turned into a biography or a novel, would we change how we lived? If we lived our lives knowing that everything we do, think, and say was being recorded for our family, friends, and community to review, would we choose to live differently?
If we would live differently knowing that others knew something about our lives, then we have the opportunity to change how we live now, and we have the opportunity to avoid a secret from forming or getting worse.
The goal of a life with integrity is that both the public and private areas of life match up, and when we talk about integrity as a characteristic of our character, we see both the public and private areas of our life as something that we are not embarrassed of if they get revealed to others.
As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:
As I always do, the first challenge is to seek God first and to continue placing Him first in your life. If you have secrets hidden in your life, choose the best way to move forward. Know that eventually, the secret will be exposed, and that makes the opportunity you have right now one where you can expose the secret on your own terms. While I don’t know what your secrets are, know that God does know, and if you are fearful of how to move forward, take your fear to God and let Him lead and guide you with how to move forward.
Also, as I always challenge you to do, continue praying and studying the Bible for yourself to learn and grow closer to God each and every day. Through prayer and Bible study, we can grow our personal relationship with God and we can let Him give us the courage to face our fears and let Him help us step into the plan He has for our lives.
And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or hide yourself away from where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!