21He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
The principle of sin exposure demonstrates to me that God is more interested in His glory than in our dignity. Mark carries these words in the context of the "seed" parables in Mark 3. It is sandwiched between the parable of the sower and the parables of the growing seed and the mustard seed. In this context, it seems to me that Jesus is saying that a life confronted with the word of God (the seed) becomes exposed.
It's like the Word is a spotlight on the heart, revealing it for what it truly is. In Mark, this seems to be descriptive of the power of the Word to expose the heart. In Luke 12:1-3, Luke ties this to the exposure of hypocrisy in the Pharisees. In Matthew 10:26-27 these words are placed in the context of Jesus' sending out of the twelve - there it is like an encouragement - don't be afraid, all the hidden motivations will be exposed.
I wonder also if Jesus is referring back to the confrontation of David by the prophet Nathan - 2 Samuel 12:12 "You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel." The hypocrisy of David was blown away in this confrontation. The holiness of God has a way of shattering foolish thinking, if we take the time to listen.
It doesn't matter what you do or where you do it, you can be sure that your sin is a stinking reality in the face of God. To all you guys who think that no one knows what you look at on the internet or about the magazines you have stashed out on the top shelf in the garage, here's the truth: not only does God know and grieve over your sin, but Jesus paid the price on the cross for that sin. There was no hiding the cross - the ugly hideousness of evil was fully revealed on the cross.
And beside that, God will find a way to expose your sin and glorify Himself. I played a little game with Joy, Jewel, and Jenna on Saturday. I hid several little bottles around the camp that contained a dollar each (in dimes - I was trying to get rid of all the loose change I have!). I gave them each a turn and said they needed to go find the treasure, and I would tell them "hot" or "cold" depending on how close they were. Jewel and Joy Daisy picked up the trail really easily, but little Jenna had more trouble with it. The reason is that she didn't want to listen to me about which direction was "hot" or "cold." Instead, she just wanted to blunder about and (I guess) try to find the dollar completely on her own.
Once I (well, actually, her sisters,) convinced her that she needed to listen to me, she started to do better and found the treasure. I think this is why God exposes our sin - because God is trying to lead us to the true treasure - Himself! If we have hidden sin, we will act just like Adam and Eve, naked and ashamed and busy trying to cover themselves up with fig leaves, thinking that they were clever enough to hide from God. Sin exposure is a Bible principle from the very first pages.
I have been praying that I would fear God more and thus grow in God's Wisdom. The principle of sin exposure leads me to fear God more. When I worked at Oakwood Christian Church in Enid, OK (seems like a lifetime ago now!), in a momentary fit of insanity, the church leaders allowed the youth group to paint the youth room. (I think that Eric Keller - must have been part of that painting group!) They painted an amazing mural on one wall, but did very random, almost graffiti stuff on the other walls.
There was a bathroom in this room because the room was also used occasionally for little kids. In the bathroom on the wall facing the toilet, (along with a dorky looking smily face, there was painted in bright, happy colors, "Smile, God is watching you." If you fear God, then there's only one way to smile when you think about that, and that is smiling in the blessings of obedience.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, 14for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said:
"Wake up, O sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
Ephesians 5:8-13
