If you’re familiar with Windows computers, you’re likely aware of the little button near the top right corner of each window that allows you to minimize the window. When you click on that button, the window is then no longer visible on the computer screen — the computer can still see it, but people cannot see it. It’s actually quite an effective method to hide what you’re doing from someone who is trying to look at your computer screen.

What might you be thinking if, every time you walked past someone using a computer, that person hit the Minimize button?

• If it’s one of your children, you might wonder, “What are my kids getting into?”
• If it’s your husband, you might wonder, “Who is my husband chatting with?”
• If it’s your employee, you might wonder whether the employee is actually working.

In general, when someone goes to great lengths to hide their actions, it often means they’re doing something they shouldn’t. Otherwise, they would have nothing to hide. The sad part of this is that people who are good at hiding what they are doing may never come to a realization that what they are doing is wrong because they are able to get away with it.

Our definition of right and wrong should not hinge on whether or not something can be kept hidden from other people. Just like the computer is always aware of the minimized windows in the example above, God is always aware of whatever we do. So doing what’s right means doing what’s right in the sight of God.

Some of the people in the early scriptures had to learn this the hard way. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and then tried to hide from God — but God knew where they were and what they had done. Cain killed his brother, Abel, and then tried to hide Abel’s body in the ground — but God knew what had happened as the dead man’s blood “cried to Him from the ground.”

In Ether 8, some of the people join together to make plans to overthrow the kingdom. Their plans include murder plots and other wicked acts. Knowing what the penalty will be if they are caught, they form an alliance — also referred to as a “secret combination” — and administer secret oaths among themselves to keep their actions hidden. It is noted that these were oaths used in years past, “handed down even from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning” (verse 15).

These unholy alliances were “most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God” (verse 18). Notice the last few words of that verse — “in the sight of God.” The people may have been successful in hiding their actions from other people, but it was all done in the sight of God. They may have thought they were getting away with something for a while, but they eventually all suffered destruction as a result of their actions.

It may sound basic to say that God sees whatever we do. So, if we understand that basic truth, let’s make our decisions in life accordingly. Don’t be lulled into thinking that if something can be successfully hidden from other people, then it becomes OK. In fact, the more we feel the need to hide something, the more it should raise a red flag for us.

If we allow the Spirit to guide us in choosing our actions, understanding that the Lord is there seeing whatever we do, we can live with nothing to hide and be good examples to others of how a true follower of Christ should live.

Our earnest devotions are viewed with delight,
Then let us be faithful and true;
Approach Him sincerely, Ye children of light,
He sees us whatever we do.

 

My God! Thou see’st me,
My God! Thou see’st me;
By day and by night,
In error or right,
My God! Thou see’st me.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.