Spreading the Secret

As scripture stories unfold when we read them, there are many surprises. Jesus seems ready to turn things upside down on a daily basis. He surprises us with his miracles of healing, his constant attention to the marginal, his compassion to all whom he meets. He surprises us with how he challenges the religious leaders of the day who seem to want to trap him constantly. He surprises us a couple times when he seems to speak almost harshly to someone who persists to ask for a miracle. Very often he tells others to keep his work silent. “Don’t tell people what you have witnessed.” This was called the Messianic Secret because the time was not quite right to let the news about Jesus be known to everyone.

If you know me personally or if you have read this column for a while, you know how I feel that every place is sacred, that everyone is a child of God, that miracles still happen in our daily lives, and that we see signs of God around us if we take the time to look.

But, I think that sometimes, we are a little like the people who were told NOT to tell what they had seen. We seem to be better at keeping Jesus a secret instead of sharing the good news readily with others.

I know that I was very reluctant to talk about Christ in my life with others when I was younger. Perhaps I didn’t fully appreciate all he had done for me back then. Perhaps I felt intimidated or scared that I might be rejected if I spoke of the goodness that Christ had done. Maybe I thought I made so much happen on my own that I just kept God in the background for the really tough times in my life.

I look at things from a different perspective now that I am in my 70s. Maybe it’s because my time on earth is shorter, but I feel I can so easily look back over three generations of my family and also look ahead three generations. The blessings I can see are overwhelming. God’s fingerprints are all over the scenes and memories that delight me. When he has called me to tasks outside my comfort zone, he has given me all the tools I needed to be able to do the work required. He has blessed me with wonderful friends, put strangers into my path who showed me glimpses of unconditional love, had me learn wisdom from 4 year olds and 90 year olds, made my cup run over in so many ways. It’s not easy at this point in my life to keep the story of Jesus and all that he has done for me a secret. I want people to know all about him. I want to live my days so that people see the joy and peace that my Lord offers me.

Take time in this noisy, hectic world today to see the signs of God in your life. Realize that he is as close as your elbow. Realize he leads you, he guides you, he loves you beyond any human comprehension. He wants only the best for you. You don’t have to worry about tomorrow, he’s already there.

Look closely and you won’t be able to miss the signs of God in your life. We are fortunate to live in this area of central Pennsylvania, so beautiful with its hills and valleys, the lushness of greens in the spring and summer, the beauty of the fall and winter. Look everywhere and see God.

I hope you feel richly blessed no matter what today holds for you. God loves you. God walks beside you with mercy and with hope. That is no secret. Jesus is the Son of God. Many people still need him. Even us. Shout that out.