Recently all of us followed developments of the Boston bombings, sometimes having to turn away from the shocking images in the news. There was one photo, though, that fascinated me. It was the x-ray-like picture taken from a hovering helicopter over the boat in which police finally found the younger brother hiding.
That picture, taken with an infrared heat-sensing camera from above clearly showed the 19 year old’s body, though he was hiding beneath a heavy boat tarp. Police said they even saw, through the camera lens, that he was moving, which told them he was still alive and might be aggressive toward them.
The fact that the heat-seeking camera could do such an accurate job identifying him was astounding and also thought-provoking. As he lay there thinking he wasn’t visible to anyone, the whole world was watching him.
Scripture tells us that everything will eventually be spotlighted, and it doesn’t mean just tangible things like bodies. The secrets we’re keeping will also be exposed, as well as thoughts we might rather have kept under cover.
According to news web sites, the heat-seeking camera used in Boston is able to “strip away the cloak of darkness or the cover of fog or smoke” because, as the Massachusetts State Police said, “It picks up the heat signature of the individual.” The young man ran, but while he was still alive and warm, he sure couldn’t hide.
The same goes for us, though God doesn’t need a special camera to see what’s hidden. When the time comes for him to make an assessment of each individual, nothing will be out of sight. Actually, it’s not really about “when the time comes,” since it’s true already.
Hebrews says, “The word of God…. judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (v.12-13) That’s written in the present tense, so in a way, we’re in the same boat at the bomb suspect.
What can be done about it?
The Lord lets us know about his x-ray vision ahead of time so we can make a conscious choice to clean up our acts, including thoughts. He knows we’ll make an effort to live by a higher standard than we might have, if we thought no one was looking. And apparently he believes we are capable of making positive improvements, or he wouldn’t challenge us to do so.
Concerning the 19 year old man who thought he was hidden but wasn’t, maybe he’s still hiding some things that the world will soon see. But the more important question is, what am I hiding?
Jesus said, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11:35-36)
