The Exposing Cost of Secrets

We all have our secrets. These confidences we keep to ourselves, and perhaps with trusted others at times, are very often appropriate. Everyone needs a private world. But as per our human condition there is a blurring of the lines.

We are tempted to hold secrets in the justification of our attitudes and behaviours.

Some secrets are very costly, as it works out in the final analysis.

For instance, and some will cringe at this, there are the secrets of betrayal that sting others to the point of ending whole identities of life. When such secrets are exposed, and they can’t be hidden always, the shrapnel from that shell blast pierces the flesh of all those we care about around us. Indeed, many who we are only connected with as acquaintances also find out and our reputations are destroyed in an instant.

Then there is the situation when we are on the receiving end; when we are blindsided by somebody else’s secret—a spouse, a child, a parent, a best friend—that has been, or is, exposed.

I wonder, for a moment, if there is anything worse.

If the cost of betrayal is harsh on the betrayed we could imagine the true cost on the betrayer. Though they may deny it, and continue always to do so, God will wreak divine retribution on their unrepentant selves.

Watch their lives. The unrepentant betrayer is cursed, and unfortunately those connected with them tend to wear those consequences as well. The best idea is that the betrayer fends for themselves. But their lack of accountability often pulls others’ lives down, too.

The best advice that the betrayed could receive is to look away from the sin that hurts them and look high to God, knowing that it is better to be betrayed than to be the betrayer. Sure, we are hurt, but there is a worse condition; anybody who exposes themselves, without remorseful regret, foolishly for God’s judgment.

The exposing cost of secrets is about justification in the court of truth.

Because God is Justification, we can be assured that all secrets propounding sin will be exposed eventually. This is good news to anybody who rejects the temptation to hold such secrets, as they discern the secrets that God blesses over the secrets God curses.

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The exposing cost of secrets is about justification in the court of truth. It is better to be the betrayed than to be the betrayer, for being hurt is better than willingly facing off against God. Ours is to reject the secrets of sin; to discern the secrets God blesses over those he curses. If we don’t tell on the sin, the sin will inevitably tell on us.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.