The Indiscreet Tongue {Day 29}

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue - What you say (and don't say) will improve your relationships by Deborah Smith Pegues

Day Twenty-Nine - The Indiscreet Tongue

Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you - Proverbs 2:11

One who is discreet shows prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior -- and always reaps a positive consequence.  Indiscretion can be costly.  Some subject matters should simply be off limits for discussion.  You would be wise to never discuss your salary or bonus --especially with other company personnel.  Your sex life should also be off limits as an item of discussion with a non-counseling outsider.

Have you ever found out something about a leader or other prominent person and could not refrain from telling someone?  If God has trusted you enough to reveal someone's nakedness or sin, have you ever considered that you were not to "see" and "tell" but rather to cover that nakedness with discretion and intercession?  It can be a very uncomfortable position.  God may even call you to confront the individual regarding his or her wrongdoing.  He did so with Nathan the prophet, who confronted David about his adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband to cover it up (2 Samuel 12).  Whatever God mandates, do it His way.  A public revelation is not always necessary as it can cause irreparable damage to the body of Christ.  David's sin with Bathsheba never became the topic of a public scandal.  However, David suffered the consequences through his family and other areas of his life.  A leader's punishment is God's business.

Caution!  If you serve in a position of authority, such as a member of a board of directors, then you have a responsibility to deal with ungodly behavior in a leader.  Confront with love and compassion.  No one is perfect, and no one has 20/20 vision on himself.  Remember that.  God may someday show someone your nakedness.  Pray that it will be handled with wisdom.  Plant the seed of discretion now.

Today's Affirmation:

My discretion will protect me and understanding will guard me.