What is the definition of “cover-up?”
According to Merriam-Webster the term means “concealment of a crime, misdeed,
or other wrongdoing, as well as to the act of assisting the wrongdoer in
concealing a crime, misdeed, or wrongdoing.” In essence it is trying to conceal
what one never wants revealed. One person volunteered that it also refers to a loose
outer garment worn at the beach to cover our caloric misdeeds or sedentary
practices. That is a secondary meaning perhaps to be considered at another
time!
Cover-ups are designed to disguise rather
that remedy an issue. The American rapper, record artist, and fashion designer,
Kanye West observing our culture suggests, “We buy a lot of clothes when we
don't really need them, Things we buy to cover up what's inside.” Masking and
making over our outward appearance will never obscure our internal problems and
pains no matter how much we assume others have been deceived. What is concealed
will ultimately be revealed regardless of attempted cover-ups. Perhaps it is
wiser to consider another alternative. Dan Allender states a better option
saying, “Christ never intended to cover up the dark side of life, but rather to
illuminate a path through it.”
There is an Old Testament character who
thought he could change his circumstances by covering up a horrible crime and heinous
sin. His name is Moses and he tried to cover-up murder. In Exodus 2 we see him
as a man of privilege, passion, and presumption. He was an adopted child of
Pharaoh’s daughter. He was brought up in her household and enjoyed all the
privileges that were associated with that position. Perhaps he had adopted the
worldview of his culture and had a lowered value of a human’s life. Perhaps he developed
an inflated view of privilege and assumed he could do whatever he wanted to do as
a part of Pharaoh’s family. Whatever he presumed because of his privilege, it became
fused with his passion.
Evidently, he had maintained a connection
to the heritage from which he had come. On one occasion he observed the
mistreatment of “one of his people” (2:11). He allowed passion to control his
life and decided he would intervene and deliver the mistreated Israelite. He
acted presumptively. He could have stopped the man who was beating one of “his
people” by a command as Pharaoh’s household member. But he resorted to doing
what he knew was wrong. He “looked this way and that and seeing no one he
struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand” (2:12). He was concerned with
what humans may see and overlooked the unobstructed view that God had. He then
used the shifting sand of Egypt to cover-up what could not be concealed. Andy Stanley observed, “If it suddenly became
impossible for us to cover up all the junk we normally hide from the rest of
humanity, I have a feeling we would all get real motivated to [properly] deal
with the source of what ails us.”
After digging the hole to bury the
Egyptian, did Moses walk away thinking he had successfully dealt with what he
had done? The problem is buried. Life goes on as usual. What a delusion if this
was his thought. The cover-up was brief. Scripture reports that “the next day… two
Hebrews were struggling together” (2:13). He again tries to assume the role of “deliverer”
and is startled to discover that his cover-up has already been uncovered. The
man in the wrong rebuffs Moses by saying, “Do you mean to kill me as you killed
the Egyptian?” (2:14). Moses realized what Jesus said centuries later, “There
is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made
known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what
you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the
roofs” (Luke 12:2-3).
What is the result for Moses once he
realized his cover-up was blown? Exodus 2:14 reports three consequences. He was
afraid. He lost favor in Pharaoh’s family. He had a death sentence issued
against him. He runs for his life. Remember, cover-ups do not correct issues.
They simply delay consequences at best, and at worst make life even more of a
mess than they were. This is why it is so encouraging to see how God deals with
our failures and sins. Author and blogger Sharon Christian writes [God] “Doesn't
try to cover up our flaws; He starts from scratch and makes us new." The
Apostle Paul states it this way, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new
person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Thankfully
God is in the business of cleansing our sins and failures, not covering them
up! That is God’s mercy and grace!
