Rather we renounce secrecies and the sense of shame, not walking about in deceit and thus corrupting the word of God, but in a spirit of disclosure to the truth, we are presenting ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Corinthians 4:2, my translation)
When the word of God came to me, how thankful I am that it did not come in secrecy or behind a veil! The people that disclosed the truth to me did it with a spirit of openness and honesty. A relationship with Jesus was not something behind closed doors to them. It was a ready and present reality presented as when introducing one person to another.
Why am I so thankful? Because when a message is hidden out of a sense of shame, it mars the perception of that message and its validity––even if the shame is misplaced in the first place. In this way, the messenger has a far greater impact on the message itself than we might like to realize. A message that appears to be a secret does not feel real. An unclear Gospel, an announcement without words, is not just a contradiction of terms but also something that feels suspect. If it’s true, it should be open. So if it’s obscured it gives an impression of falsehood. The messenger and their attitude are vital.
Christ did not always reveal his entire hand in his earthly life. The drama was still waiting to unfold. But the ministry he initiated was brutally clear: make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything he had commanded. Every messenger walking in this sense of transparency bears fruit, while the messengers cloaked in obscurity cannot.
Praise the Lord that a clear message came to you, that God used an open and honest person to share his love! Let’s strive for openness and commit to ridding ourselves of any misplaced shame that corrupts the message.
J. A. Syverson 