A Blabbermouth
Proverbs 20:19 TPT
A blabbermouth will reveal your secrets, so stay away from people who can’t keep their mouths shut.
Have you ever shared something very important with someone in confidence, only to have them share it with others? I have. I remember the first time it happened. I was in total shock as well as feeling disappointed and betrayed. And it wasn’t just one other person who repeated my confidence back to me but several others. Wow! Did I ever need to learn some lessons fast with a quick, lesson in using wisdom. As a pastor, it is important to hold other people’s confidences close to the chest, not sharing personal challenges, etc. with others. There is a level of confidence that needs to be in place when something is shared with you. Think of it this way—if you are the one needing to talk to someone in private about a personal matter, do you want them to leave that meeting with you and go out and share it with others? Absolutely not! There have been times when someone has fallen into sin in a very disappointing, hard way that effected their mates, their family members and the Body of Christ, only to have some march into my office and demand that I tell them all the details, which I refused to do. I simply asked them point blank how much of the details did they feel they needed to know. And then they began to rant at me what should be done with the failed individual as if they had all the training and expertise, assuming that they were the voice of God in the matter. They had had some bad experiences similar to the failing individual, and of course were filtering this person through their hurtful memories. In the Aramaic this one line is added to our verse that says, “One who is faithful in spirit hides a matter.” Whatever happened to going to the Lord for this failing person and intercede for them? God already knows what is going on with all the details. He knows all about the hurting family and disappointed friends. Wouldn’t our time and effort be more productive in prayer for everyone involved? Or maybe we could tie the fallen one out in a back field and let those desiring to spit, beat, and torture this one until it's out of their system. Where’s that found in the Word of God? Yet James 1:26 tells us, “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Leviticus 19:16 says, “Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.” Lord, help us all to be kind and prayerful, not full of gossip and “I thinks” concerning others. And in wisdom, as our verse says, stay away from those who do.
What about you? Are you careful to not spread gossip, but be kind and caring about others no matter what is happening? Do we possibly stay around gossipers too much? Remember, there can be a transference of spirit from them to you where you begin to become like them. Be wise with the help of the Lord today. Have a peaceful day.
