November 11

But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?” — 1 Sam 15:14 BSB

Sin is hard to hide! We may think we’ve covered up our wrongdoings so well that no one will ever find out, but suddenly, something exposes them, and the world sees what we’ve done. A person might carry on with dishonest actions for years, thinking they’re safe because they’ve kept everything covered up through clever tricks. But one day, the truth comes out, and everyone hears the “bleating sheep” or “lowing cattle” that reveal their thefts and deceptions.

Sheep bleat and cattle low because it’s in their nature, and they don’t know when to keep quiet. They often make noise right when they’re expected to stay silent, and it’s the same with sin. Sin pretends to be a good friend when it tempts us, but once committed, it’s a terrible secret-keeper. Eventually, it betrays those who trust it to remain hidden.

In most of our lives, there are “bleating sheep” and “lowing cattle”—faults, bad habits, or character flaws that reveal our imperfect obedience, things we wouldn’t want even our closest friends to know about.