The expression, “you can run, but you can’t hide” is a taunt made famous in 1941 when the infamous Joe Louis, a champion boxer, fought Billy Conn, a natural light heavyweight boxer.  Billy Conn was a superb, fearless boxer, who entered the ring on the evening of the fight weighing at least 25 pounds less than the Champion.

Conn fought brilliantly, landing punches but using his skills to stay away from Louis’ devastating punching power. In the 12th round, Conn landed several heavy blows and had Louis in trouble. At the close of the 12th round, Joe Louis trailed on the score cards of two of the three officials. He was being outboxed and beaten by the quicker, lighter Billy Conn. However, heartened by the effect of his punches on the Champion in the 12th round, Conn wanted to prove that he could trade punches with the Champion. When he came out for the 13th round, he abandoned his stylish boxing and began exchanging punches with the Champion. The result: Conn was knocked out by Louis with seconds remaining in the 13th round.

After World War II, in June, 1946, Louis fought a rematch with the challenger Conn. Remembering how close Louis had come to losing his Championship to Conn in 1941, boxing writers asked Louis how he would contend with the fast and cunning Conn. The Champion is said to have replied: “He can run, but he can’t hide.” Joe Louis was correct.  The second fight ended in the 8th round when the Champion knocked out Billy Conn for the second time.

So, now we know why these words were coined and are now used as a taunt by the bullies in our lives who tamper with our souls.  The taunt of the enemy contaminates our core being emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.  The words are meant to produce fear in our hearts, paralyzing us with the inability to do anything against our foe. 

Jesus, our Champion, redefines Joe Louis’ words and counters with Truth (as always!):

You can run a scam of religiosity to others for your own benefit and promotion; but you can’t hide who you really are to the world.  Our hearts, sooner than later, will expose the core being of our existence and condition.  “Watch out,” says Jesus, by those with the “run and hide” disease who deliver blows to our being!  Don’t be contaminated by those who have this spiritual sickness!     

Luke 12, The Message

Can’t Hide Behind a Religious Mask

12 ^1-3 By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.

^4-5 “I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

^6-7 “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.

^8-9 “Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God’s angels. But if you pretend you don’t know me, do you think I’ll defend you before God’s angels?

¹⁰ “If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you’re knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won’t be overlooked.

^11-12 “When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus demands that our hearts are checked often to stay healthy and uncontaminated by false impressions of Truth.  Jesus tells his closest friends who follow him how to do what He says:

• Watch out!  Look for what and who is true, gives glory to God and run from what or who is not of God.
• Don’t be contaminated by the sickness of phony portrayals of goodness and the playacting of compassion as your way of living.  Run from this sickness!  Hide in the cleft of the Rock who protects us—Jesus!
• Run from teaching that sounds good to the pubic but is followed by whispered sarcasms about followers in a private staff meeting afterwards. 
• Ask for discernment for Truth.  God has already given us the gift of His Holy Spirit to help us! 

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” John 16:13-14, NLT 

• If we preach “God is love” then we should be living a life of love verified by our behaviors. 
• If we tell others, “God will help you;” be willing, unreservedly, to tell how God helped us in times of trial and suffering.
• Call the bluff of religious bullies who demand and taunt us be like them and think like them.  They don’t own our souls, God does.  They can’t save our souls; only Jesus saves us!  Do not fear the bullies, the masked enemies of Jesus!  They will all be exposed sooner than later now and again when Jesus comes!

“There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.” –Jesus

• Stand for Jesus as Jesus stands for us.  “The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”

Wonderful words, beautiful words…wonderful words of life!  (Chorus of an old hymn that just came to mind.  “Wonderful words of Life”)

Lord,

Thank you for listening to our cries for help and for the cleansing of our core being.  We know that all our behaviors find their beginnings in our hearts.  So, cleanse my heart, renew my mind, refresh my soul with your new mercies for today, and restore the joy of your salvation consistently at work within me.  I run to you and hide in the shadows of your wings of protection and unfailing compassionate care.  Thank you for showing us Truth.  The Truth is, you love us far beyond our wildest imaginations and understandings.  I will fear no evil for you are with me. 

In Jesus Name, Amen