Exposed

Do you have any secrets? Have you ever thought about what would happen if your secrets were exposed? It doesn’t have to be anything newsworthy, but it’s still your private business. In this age of social media, exposure is possible, whether intentional or unintentional.

The Story: 2 Samuel 12:1-13

In 2 Samuel 12:1-13, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke David by telling him a story. There were two men in the same town, one of whom was rich and the other poor. While the rich man had great wealth, possessions, and livestock, the poor man only owned one lamb. The poor man cared for the lamb like it was his child. One day, the rich man had a guest at his home. Instead of killing one of the lambs from his flock, he stole the poor man’s lamb, killed it, and served it to his guest.

At this story, David was furious. He vowed that anyone who would act in this way deserved to die. He also added that the culprit owed the poor man four lambs for the one that was stolen without remorse. Nathan informed David that he was the man who performed the egregious act. God anointed David as king and gave him everything he needed. If he asked for more, God would have given it. Instead, David despised the Word of the Lord by murdering Uriah and stealing his wife. As a result of his actions, David’s family would rebel against him. Although his actions occurred in secret, David’s consequences would appear on full display for all to see. David confessed that he sinned against God.

The Lesson

These verses proclaim, exposed as Nathan revealed David’s sin to him. David thought his secret was safe. He needed a story from Nathan to wake him from his own deception. He was ready to enact judgment on the culprit, only to learn that the sin was in him. He was comfortable in his sin until he could no longer hide the truth. Then he confessed his sin before God.

Please know that nothing is hidden from God. Whether we walk in the things of God or hide our deceit and deception, God sees all. It’s only a matter of time before secrets are exposed. Even our good can’t be hidden forever (Mark 4:21-25).

All will come to the light in God’s timing. As David reminds us, it’s not a pretty picture when the secret is exposed. Our exposure has a way of shedding a larger light and revealing more than we wanted anyone to know. Remember that no temptation has come upon us that God hasn’t provided a way to escape. Will we be exposed? Only God knows. Instead of wondering, take the path of David and choose right living by confessing to God and turning to Him.

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