Shh...It’s
a Secret!
By Susan Klein
“Therefore confess
your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
James 5:16
My
daughter will testify to the fact that secret-keeping is a difficult concept
for a four-year-old. When she was small, we had purchased a new fishing pole
for my husband as a Father’s Day gift. My nine-year-old son cautioned her not
to give up our secret while she bubbled over with excitement. As we walked
along the river one day enjoying the view, my husband mentioned how he’d like
to fish there sometime. My daughter proudly replied that he’d soon be able to
with his new fishing pole!
As
the kids grew older, secret-keeping took on a different aspect. Once in school
and having other children telling them secrets, it then became apparent that we
had to redefine when it was and wasn’t appropriate to keep a secret. We always
said that if it was something that could be harmful to themselves or to someone
else, it should be shared with an adult who could help. As a sophomore in high
school, my son learned this very difficult lesson with a peer who was involved
in drug usage. He reluctantly shared the situation with us, fearing what it
might do to his friendship. It was good for him to see that God honored his
coming forward by providing much needed help for his friend and no
repercussions for himself.
As
adults, we can struggle with our own form of secret-keeping. We tend to keep
our sins, especially habitual ones, a secret. We sometimes wrongly believe that
as long as they aren’t hurting anyone else, we don’t need to share them. While
it is true that we only need to confess our sins to our heavenly Father, God
didn’t create us to go it alone on this earth. He graciously gives us others to
walk alongside of us, to lift us up when we fall, to pray for us, and to hold
us accountable so we don’t stay trapped in the same sin patterns. Confession to
another person may be just the thing God uses to help put an end to a secret
sinful habit. Or conversely, sharing our victory over a secret sin issue may be
just what someone else needs to break free from theirs.
Two are better than
one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his
friend can help him up. Ecclesiastes
4:9-10
GOING
DEEPER:
1.
In what ways are you prepared to help someone who confides in you that they are
struggling with a secret sin?
2.
Are you struggling with anything that an accountability partner might be
beneficial in pursuing?
FURTHER
READING:
Susan is a We Women Bible Study Coordinator
and one of its teachers. She and her husband Mark lead a couples' small group
in their home; she is also involved in inner city outreach.
