1 Samuel 16:1 (KJV)
And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
The story of Samuel anointing David as the future king of Israel is one of the most indispensable stories in the Old Testament. The prophet Samuel grieved about king Saul for not following God wholeheartedly. As Samuel was lamenting, the LORD spoke to him and called him to fill his horn with oil and to go and anoint one of the sons of Jesse as the new king over Israel. From our anchored Scripture, Samuel knew Saul was to be substituted. And a new heir apparent was to be ordained. But he was also conscious of the danger attached if king Saul should know about it. The Bible recorded that God gave him sound counsel, and he told no one about God’s plans to change Saul and replace him with David. Not even Jesse and his children knew Samuel’s real intention in their house. Proverbs 11:13 says, “Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.”
In this life, some information is considered classified or top-secret. That is, that information needs to be restricted. Specific information should be treated as confidential, while others can be made known. As believers, our failure to differentiate between the two and keep sensitive matters out of public knowledge has resulted in dire damage. We live in a world where everything and everyone feeds and lives on information. Despite all this, much vital information is still not considered public knowledge. Likewise, there are facts or revelations about our lives that should remain a secret. The Bible says in Luke 2:19, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” One of the reasons Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was chosen and given classified information about the Messiah that would come through her was that she knew how to keep secrets. It is also written in Judges 16:17-18 that Samson poured all his heart by revealing the secret of his strength to Delilah, by making known the secrets he lost his life. Samson’s parents had known the secrets of Samson’s strength since his birth. Yet, they told no one (Judges 13:5). However, the day Delilah heard of Samson’s secrets from Samson himself, she broadcasted to Samson’s enemies and brought him into destruction. Joseph revealed his vision and dreams to his brethren and nearly died, but God’s grace ensured he lived to fulfill his destiny (Genesis 37:19-20). Like Samson and Joseph, many have destroyed their own lives, marriages, business, and jobs by sharing a secret with a friend or family member.
Beloved, love everyone, but not everyone you love qualifies to know the secrets of your life! The truth is that not everyone will be able to handle the pieces of information released to them. Be careful because some are waiting to use your secret for personal gain or to destroy your life. As a true child of God, learning to keep other people’s secrets is vital. It is about what may be at stake. So, it is a huge responsibility to ensure that people around you can confide in you. It should be a quality of every Christian. Nothing can be more dangerous and painful than sharing your secrets or ideas with a friend who will disappoint you! It is not a Christian virtue! Let it not be said of you anywhere that you are unfaithful in keeping secrets. Remember, the enemy that wants to destroy your life does not come with a sword but a smile!
O Lord, expose all unfaithful friends in my life and wipe off every secret of my life in the wrong hands in Jesus’ Name.