Has “not me” ever showed up at your house? You know, the “not me” who leaves dishes in the sink or wet towels on the floor? This “not me” lived in my house for a while, primarily while the girls were small. These days when it’s just my husband and I in the house, “not me” doesn’t hang around.

I think “not me” is like the devil and likes it when there is more potential to create chaos and conflict. When there are more people in the house (and I don’t only mean children, this occurs with a houseful of adults too), there are more opportunities to hide from taking responsibility for actions.

Who ate the leftovers? “Not me.” Who left the clothes in the dryer? “Not me.” Who left toothpaste in the sink? “Not me.”

When my girls were small, I’d get the “not me” response from all three of them and would have to play detective to determine who was the culprit. In situations with adults, it’s a bit more complicated (at least from my experience) because adults are more prone to tell half truths or not come full out with the truth. They might say something like, “I didn’t know we were doing things that way” or “whoa, I didn’t know we brought my mom on this trip.” Adults deflect and hide behind sarcasm to avoid taking the blame for something, even if they did it.

So when I hear the words of scripture, “nothing is concealed that will not be revealed” I can’t help but have a negative AND a positive response. I think, OH-OH for little secret pleasures or indulgences I’ve enjoyed without someone else knowing about, say picking up a pastry at the local bakery. But I also feel comfort and relief.

HUH? Why comfort and relief that people will know your secrets? No, comfort and relief that God will reveal the truth in situations where people have been unfair or lied or judged. I find comfort through the scripture that this is true because of how when the crowds are calling out for Jesus to be crucified, Pilot asks Jesus if the blasphemy/charges set against him were true and Jesus says nothing. He allows things to play out without retaliation believing the truth will come out in the end and all will be revealed.

I was in a situation where I was accused of doing something I didn’t do and I lost my job for it. I leaned on that scripture and retelling of Jesus’ experience and his action to help me through. I don’t feel justified or like a bigger person because I didn’t retaliate; instead I feel comfort and relief that it’s not something I need to think twice about because God knows the truth.

In God’s house, “not me” doesn’t exist. God knows who ate the leftovers or left the toothpaste in the sink. God already knows your deepest secrets, what you have a hard time resisting, and why you twist the truth. The Gospel is reminding us that there is no need to conceal the truth, we don’t need to be afraid of the consequences we might suffer for admitting our fault. God is telling us that we just need to allow him to guide our words and actions and he will take care of us.