Out of Sight, Out of Mind? Not So Fast

The other day, I spotted the back of a bottle of Dettol: "Keep out of reach and sight of children." We've all seen warnings to keep things out of reach, but this added "and sight" made me pause. Oh, this is a seeerious warning!

If something dangerous is visible, it's still within reach, especially for vulnerable, rebellious, curious little minds. Kids are clever— they'll find a way to get to it. But this warning goes far beyond childproofing. It applies to all of us big kids too.

What we see can spark desires that drive us to reach for things we might be better off avoiding. Remember Adam and Eve? The forbidden fruit was in sight, and it didn't take long before they reached for it (with a little encouragement). Eve "saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye" (Genesis 3:6), and desire took over. That one act of seeing set off a chain reaction of consequences.

God placed a clear boundary in Eden, just like that Dettol bottle set a clear boundary. Even with flashing warning signs, what tempts us visually has power to draw us in, even when we know better.

Hidden Clutter: Out of Sight, But Still There

Now, let's flip the coin. Sometimes we think putting things out of sight solves the problem. If we can't see it, it's not an issue, right? Oh, how we fool ourselves!

I recently moved rooms, thinking my old space was clean. Packing up revealed a closet full of junk I'd neglected. Out of sight, out of mind? Nope. That stuff was still taking up space. Worse, some had become a mold breeding ground, affecting the air I breathed without me knowing.

We do the same with our emotional lives. We hide away hurts, mistakes, and regrets, thinking if we don't see them, they aren't affecting us. But ignoring doesn't equal disappearing. Those hidden pains fester, impacting us in sneaky ways - just like my secret mold colony.

Balancing Act: What to Hide, What to Face

So what's the takeaway? Some things are best kept out of sight—temptations, harmful influences, past hurts that lead us astray. But others need to be faced head-on. We need to regularly dust off those hidden corners of our lives and ask, "What am I ignoring that needs attention?"

Dettol-ing Our Lives

Just as that Dettol bottle warns us to keep harmful things out of sight and reach, we need to be mindful of what we expose ourselves to. But we also need to be careful not to simply "Dettol" our problems away by hiding them. Some things need to be cleaned, not concealed.

May we have the wisdom to discern what needs to stay out of sight, what needs dealing with, and what should always remain in clear view. After all, true freedom isn't found in what we hide, but in what we bring into the light.

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Self-Reflection Prompts

1. What things do you keep in sight that might not be the best influence?
2. What boundaries or “warning signs” have you ignored, only to realize later that they were there for your protection?
3. When you think about the things you've hidden away—whether emotions, mistakes, or unresolved issues—what effects might they be having on you, even though they're out of sight?
4. Can you think of a time when ignoring a problem only made it worse? How might that situation have been different if you had dealt with it sooner?
5. What are some positive things in your life that you might be neglecting, simply because they’re not in plain view?
6. How can you practice discerning what should stay out of sight versus what needs to be brought into the light for healing or growth?
7. Is there an area where you need to invite God to cleanse and renew, rather than just trying to cover it up?

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As Luke 8:17 reminds us, "For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open."

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