What’s That You Say? Keep It Shut Ch. 7&8


Karen-Keep It Shut

Welcome back to the blog miniseries on Karen Ehman’s book, Keep It Shut.

Click here for previous posts.

Today we are on chapters 7 and 8.

Chapter 7 – But I’m Just Sharing A Prayer Request

This chapter is all about stopping gossip and hearsay (passing on information that did not originate from you and has not been verified). Karen talks about how in the Bible, the word gossip is used as a noun unlike how we use it as a verb- an action word- “she’s gossiping again”. In the Bible, a gossip is something someone is. It’s a label and not a good one! It can be especially hard on us when we are the subject of someone’s gossiping. What can we do when we are the victim?

Karen has 3 suggestions for us that include knowing whose words can you give you comfort and protection, knowing where to go to find these words and our happiness and realizing that the world is watching how we deal with it all. I’m sure you have guessed that the words come from God as does our source of true happiness.

Now let’s flip the situation and you are the one who is gossiping? Who me? Never. I know I’m guilty of enjoying and adding to a juicy conversation at another’s expense. Sometimes it’s just.so.irresistable. How do we stop ourselves?

As Karen explains it, the very first step is seeing how the Bible describes a gossip. Many a verse tells us that gossip is wicked, a gossip betrays confidences and that people avoid gossips. Ouch. I don’t want to be associated with that? Do you?

A gossip betrays a confidence , but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. (Proverbs 11:13)

The second step is so wise. It is to simply keep quiet! Don’t be pulled into the conversation. Just keep it shut.

The third step is to make a promise to your friends and family that you won’t engage in gossip and then stick to it!

I think our challenge this week should be to notice how often we are tempted to be gossips and then make the effort to not be sucked in by it.

Chapter 8 – Lying, Loving and People Pleasing

Do you have the disease? I know I do. I have the disease to please. I didn’t think there was anything really wrong with this until I read the chapter! It has to with flattery. It has to do with wanting to please someone so much that you might shade the truth a little to smooth things over or make another feel good about themselves. Here’s the problem with that…it’s still a lie. As we learned previously a half truth is still a whole lie! Gahhhhhhh. Read it again, a half truth is still a whole lie.

So what do we do when we have to give some bad or unwanted truths or advice to someone? How can we soften the words? We need to speak the truth in love. Karen says when dealing with her loved ones, she nestles the truth in a cushion of encouragement. She calls this her Wunderbar Pretzel Sandwich technique. LOL! The top half of the bun is an encouraging truth, then you speak the hard truth statement (the meat of the sandwich) and finally you finish it off with another encouraging truth (second half of the bun).

It’s a balancing act for sure. Your best bet is always to ask God for guidance and the right words.

Join me next week as we wrap up our mini series with chapters 9-11.

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