As kids, we loved secrets!  We loved spilling secrets, too!  It didn’t matter so much if it was true or not as long as we had enough juicy tidbits good enough to pass along to others willing to hear it. We loved forming our posse so we could taunt other kids with, “You don’t know what we know.”  And that’s when the fights on the playground would begin.  “Well, you don’t know what I know and what I know is really real.”  “So, there!” The juicy morsels of information would slowly disintegrate into mere bites of gossip based on the assumptions and presumptions of kids with nothing else to do.  The best comeback of all?  “Don’t tell me what I don’t know.”  (Sigh)

But we are no longer kids on the playground—are we? 

Luke 8, The Message

Misers of What You Hear

^16-18 “No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a washtub or shoves it under the bed. No, you set it up on a lamp stand so those who enter the room can see their way. We’re not keeping secrets; we’re telling them. We’re not hiding things; we’re bringing everything out into the open. So be careful that you don’t become misers of what you hear. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”

^19-20 His mother and brothers showed up but couldn’t get through to him because of the crowd. He was given the message, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.”

²¹ He replied, “My mother and brothers are the ones who hear and do God’s Word. Obedience is thicker than blood.”

^22-24 One day he and his disciples got in a boat. “Let’s cross the lake,” he said. And off they went. It was smooth sailing, and he fell asleep. A terrific storm came up suddenly on the lake. Water poured in, and they were about to capsize. They woke Jesus: “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

Getting to his feet, he told the wind, “Silence!” and the waves, “Quiet down!” They did it. The lake became smooth as glass.

²⁵ Then he said to his disciples, “Why can’t you trust me?”

They were in absolute awe, staggered and stammering, “Who is this, anyway? He calls out to the winds and sea, and they do what he tells them!”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

God, through Jesus, is spilling the best secrets of Truth to all eager to hear.  And what do we do? Many of us keep it to ourselves.  (And can you imagine putting a lit candle under a bed made of straw?  Dangerous, to say the least!)  Jesus says to shine His  Light to the world around us so they can see, hear and know Him, too! 

The apostle Paul lives the secret out loud to all withing hearing—until the imprison him.  But does that stop him?  Absolutely not!  He writes letters so the secret is not lost to those he told earlier!  Messengers of Paul relay the letters containing the knowledge of Jesus and his teachings to the dark world in need of a Savior, the Light of the World for all!  Here is an excerpt of one of Paul’s many letters; spilling the secret of Jesus—

“God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.

So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.” Colossians 1:25-29, NLT

“Hide it under a bushel? NO!  I’m gonna let it shine!”

Jesus reminds all of us that it is time to bring everything out into the open about the love of God who designed the perfect plan to save us!  Jesus also solidifies this truth with a lesson on family.  All who hear and respond to God’s Word are family!

The Lake episode at the end of this passage defines His authority and power.  It is no longer a secret who He is to His disciples.  He comes from the Father who sent Jesus.  His Father is God.  Jesus is God.  God who created the wind and the sea has complete control over both.  Trust Him.

Our response?  Truth God—no matter what—trust God.  He knows what He is doing.  We know His secret—so tell others!  Spill what you know!

“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…”

Lord,

We are no longer kids.  Thank you for revealing the secret of your love, mercy, and grace that created the Plan to save us.  Thank you for living in us to help us grow up and mature in your love and in our behaviors.  Cleanse our hearts, remove all that offends you, renew our minds, transform our thinking to Kingdom thinking that holds nothing back about you.  Refresh and fill our souls with your new mercies for today that your Holy Spirit delivers.  Restore the joy and peace of your salvation at work within us no matter what is going on around us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”