Live Out Loud

by Tim Howard

On this second day of the New Year I pray for God to bless your life in 2016 and continue to help, guide and reveal His wisdom – in practical ways.

One such piece of wisdom God spoke to me through a friend – years ago, was this: ‘Live Out Loud!” Don’t conceal things but reveal them. Don’t keep secrets because the results can be devastating.

When I was in grammar school my sisters found it amusing to speak with each other in some unknown language. I later learned it was called Pig Latin, which is a language game of alterations played in English. It was their way of keeping secrets from me. They were so frustrating!

The Bible talks about both good and bad secrets. Sort of like a good cholesterol and a bad cholesterol.  A good secret is something positive you do and wonder if anyone notices. Jesus alluded to this type in Matthew chapter 6 when He talked about some religious people who liked doing things for human recognition. He explains the value of not emulating this approach to good works then clearly states: Every good secret will be rewarded.

Bad secrets, however, are things you want no one to discover. When dark secrets are allowed to lurk in the back of your soul, in the shadows of your mind and outside the view of others – they will eventually consume you and have debilitating effects. 

David, the second King of Israel is a good example of why we shouldn’t keep bad secrets.

He was a great man but he had a weakness for women. He committed adultery with a woman name Bathsheba and after discovering she was pregnant with their child, he tried to cover his tracks.

His secret led to murder, then chaos and ultimately the death of this child. David thought his secret was safe but soon learned 4 lessons.

Lesson 1:  You can’t hide from God! David might have kept his secret from everyone else — but he didn’t fool God. God knew! God always knows!

In reality there are no secrets with God – so stop fooling yourself by thinking you can hide. Decide to ‘Live Out Loud.”

Lesson 2: Your secrets will be revealed. Luke 12:1-3 makes this abundantly clear. We all know about David. It is no secret to anyone who has read the Bible! He should have ‘Live Out loud’ 

Lesson 3. Bad secrets, when kept inside, cost dearly. Listen to how David puts it: Psalms 32:3-4 “When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable; I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.” Bad secrets grow in power when we refuse to confess and ‘Live Out Loud.”

Lesson 4. Living in the light brings the greatest dividends of all. When a man named Nathan confronted David about his secret sin, he finally came clean and exposed the evil that lurked inside. He chose to ‘Live Out Loud’ and the result was Forgiveness! And Freedom! 

As you live out 2016, I encouraged you to walk in the light! Let no evil live inside! Join me and together let’s: ‘Live Out Loud.”