Who ever thought up cellphone cameras? Sure, they're nice if something suddenly pops up that you want to capture. But how many times have I been looking goofy or plain ol' ugly and some smart aleck quietly "permanentizes" the moment with his cute little camera?
Is there nowhere we're safe from the lens that never forgets?
Apparently not. Just ask the politicians...the celebrities...even the royals who have suddenly been unpleasantly - even angrily - surprised by photos they never knew even existed.
Last night's news included a former paparazzi showing just how far the prying eye can reach. He set up his monster-lens camera across the river from where the reporter was standing in New York City. And got amazing pictures of her - from half a mile away! The reporter's only comment: "Good thing I was dressed modestly."
Mr. Ex-Paparazzi made this suggestion: "Always assume there's a camera."
I've been thinking about that "assume there's a camera" thing. It's actually pretty good advice.
Because God doesn't miss a thing.
The Bible makes sure we're not surprised by that. "A man's ways are in full view of the Lord" (Proverbs 5:21) and "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" (Hebrews 4:13).
Those last words are the disturbing part. "We must give account." There really will be a day we will answer for our lives - including our darkest secrets. "God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ" (Romans 2:16). Martin Luther said he had only two days on his calendar - today...and Judgment Day. Not bad.
But it's not just our actions. God knows every word I speak, every thought in my mind. He will even "expose the motives of men's hearts" (1 Corinthians 4:5).
First thought: do I - does anybody - stand a chance when God holds me accountable for everything I've said or thought or done? What about when all the closets are opened, all the secrets exposed, all the sin laid bare before His holy eyes?
I wouldn't stand a chance. If Jesus hadn't died on a cross to erase it all. He absorbed all the guilt, all the punishment of all the sin of my life - as "He carried our sins in His own body on the tree" (1 Peter 2:24). He chose to. Not because I, in any way, deserve such a sacrifice. He simply loves me that much.
And "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18) - including my well-founded fear of facing a holy God with all my sin laid bare before Him. Jesus has taken away that fear because of the Judgment Day that Jesus had in my place. All alone on a cross.
He does what no one else in the universe can do. He hits the delete button that erases it all.