Secrets. We all have them. We all know some. We all have spilled some. But what are secrets really when shared? Gossip. Secrets make us feel powerful. We may not admit it right away but we do. And when someone knows a secret about you the power is in their hands.
When we share a secret sometimes we feel we are sharing something helpful. For example, if someone says something about our friend, we want them to know right? Some questions we need to ask before we share are, is it helpful? What's our motivation in sharing this snippet of info.? Are we trying to make ourselves look better? Show them what a good friend we are? Just food for thought. I don't always, but a lot of times I try to sleep on it a day or two and pray if I should or should not share.
Me personally, I have come to hate secrets. Honestly, I don't want to know. Especially if it's about me! I think we just need to guard our words more carefully. Sharing these things affect relationships. I don't want to be angry with someone for something they may, or may not have said. And remember, we are hearing it out of context. That makes a difference!
For us in the church, let us not candy coat gossip as prayer requests. If it is a true prayer request not all details are needed. Unless of course the person asked it to be shared. God knows all the details, we don't need to.
I struggle with gossip or oversharing. I am a talker. But the more I grow in Christ the more this is laid on my heart. Remember, . . Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." And Proverbs 26:20 "Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down." Don't be that log on the fire that keeps it burning. I have been that log, and you will get burned.
When we share a secret sometimes we feel we are sharing something helpful. For example, if someone says something about our friend, we want them to know right? Some questions we need to ask before we share are, is it helpful? What's our motivation in sharing this snippet of info.? Are we trying to make ourselves look better? Show them what a good friend we are? Just food for thought. I don't always, but a lot of times I try to sleep on it a day or two and pray if I should or should not share.
Me personally, I have come to hate secrets. Honestly, I don't want to know. Especially if it's about me! I think we just need to guard our words more carefully. Sharing these things affect relationships. I don't want to be angry with someone for something they may, or may not have said. And remember, we are hearing it out of context. That makes a difference!
For us in the church, let us not candy coat gossip as prayer requests. If it is a true prayer request not all details are needed. Unless of course the person asked it to be shared. God knows all the details, we don't need to.
I struggle with gossip or oversharing. I am a talker. But the more I grow in Christ the more this is laid on my heart. Remember, . . Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." And Proverbs 26:20 "Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down." Don't be that log on the fire that keeps it burning. I have been that log, and you will get burned.
