Are You A Keeper?
By Emil C. Liko

How many things have been shared with you in confidence? Maybe through personal prayer requests, ministry sessions, or just a frustration vented. Why? Because you have been looked upon favorably as a person who can be safely confided in. A person with whom the most vulnerable thoughts and feelings can be shared. A person who can be trusted. Through trust confidentiality is born.

In the last couple of weeks, we have seen firsthand relationships broken, ministries destroyed, and people betrayed. And all have one common denominator: a breach in confidence

Most of those who broke confidence by telling others did not do so maliciously. For some, it was a slip of the tongue, others actually thought they were helping. But when the dust settled, someone was deeply hurt, and the level of trust in their confidant had been reduced to anger and disbelief.

I Timothy 6:20 says, O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust: avoid the profane and idle babblings, and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.

You are the most excellent of men and your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed you forever. Psalm 45:2

But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief. Job 16:5.

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3.

Those who control their tongue will have a long life; a quick retort can ruin everything. Proverbs 13:3
Be careful of what you share with another. First, is this something you were given permission to share? If this were something you had shared, would you want it passed on without your consent?

Remember, if you wouldn't disclose a confidence in front of the person who told you, then you shouldn't tell it if the person isn't present either.

The Bible says in Matthew 5:37, "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No.'" When someone asks if they can tell you something… maybe they've never told anyone else…say "No" if you don't think you can keep it to yourself. And if you say "Yes," ensure that confidence by keeping it safely between the two of you.
Trust is earned. Be true to your word. In all things, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If you've not been a keeper in the past, here is a simple prayer paraphrased from Hosea 14:1,2: Say to the Lord: "I have stumbled because of my iniquity [weakness]. Forgive all my sins and receive me graciously, that I may offer the fruit of my lips."